Vardø: population and statistics
Vardø has a population of 1,969 (2026) across 585.0 km², or 3.4 people per km². It ranks 282 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −7.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 1,969 residents
- 585.0 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 0 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku, Vardø ranks No. 11 by population.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: 2.5% in Vardø, compared with an average of 20.7% in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 27.0% nationally.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 2.4% in Vardø, compared with an average of 1.0% in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 1.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 39.5% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 51° generates about 759 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku for “Share of dwellings built before 1946”.
- Number 1 in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku for “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 81,933 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.4 times lower than the national average.
Vardø in numbers
All indicators for Vardø
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 228 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.7% | 20.3% | 23.7% | ranked 105 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 13.9% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 341 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,447 | 42,158 | 2,760,619 | ranked 254 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.5% | 2.2% | 16.4% | ranked 95 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 2.5% | 20.7% | 21.8% | ranked 350 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 87.3% | 83.0% | 89.9% | ranked 218 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.4% | 8.3% | 4.4% | ranked 239 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 182.3 per 1,000 inh. | 151.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 156 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 317 | 10,657 | 656,492 | ranked 285 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 161.0 per 1,000 inh. | 141.6 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 106 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 445,300 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 339 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 359 per 1,000 inh. | 12,488 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 291 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 182.3 per 1,000 inh. | 165.9 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 132 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 17.3 per 1,000 inh. | 13.4 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 27 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 63.2% | 68.9% | 67.5% | ranked 303 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 2.4% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 2 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 485 per 1,000 inh. | 550 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 328 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 5.8% | 11.5% | 19.7% | ranked 350 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 25.5% | 17.5% | 15.2% | ranked 26 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 80.9 years | 80.9 | 82.8 | ranked 334 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Vardø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 25.9% | 31.6% | 27.5% | ranked 222 of 351 |
Population of Vardø over time
Vardø had 2,137 residents in 2016 and 1,969 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,959 |
| 2022 | 1,897 |
| 2023 | 1,933 |
| 2024 | 1,972 |
| 2025 | 1,982 |
| 2026 | 1,969 |
Where is Vardø?
Business sectors: Vardø
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing39.5% ×3.8
- Real estate9.9% ×0.9
- Health and social work8.6% ×0.9
- Construction4.8% ×0.4
- Wholesale and retail trade4.5% ×0.4
- Public administration and defence4.5% ×6.0
- Transport and storage4.1% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical4.1% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Vardø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vardø?
Vardø has 1,969 residents (2026), ranking 282 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Vardø?
Vardø covers 585.0 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Vardø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Vardø went from 2,137 to 1,969, a change of −7.9%.
Where is Vardø?
Vardø is in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku. Latitude 70.371, longitude 31.110.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Vardø?
In Vardø, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 2.5% (2026), ranking 350 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 21.8%.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Vardø?
In Vardø, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 2.4% (2025), ranking 2 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vardø?
In Vardø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 51° produces about 759 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vardø?
The nearest to Vardø are Båtsfjord (46 km), Vadsø (61 km), Sør-Varanger (82 km), Berlevåg (92 km), Unjárga - Nesseby (98 km).