Lesja: population and statistics
Lesja has a population of 1,966 (2026) across 2,167.0 km², or 0.9 people per km². It ranks 283 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −4.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 1,966 residents
- 2,167.0 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 1,420 m
Key points
Among the 46 municipalities in Innlandet, Lesja ranks No. 39 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −17.3 per 1,000 inh. in Lesja, compared with an average of 7.3 per 1,000 inh. in Innlandet and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.3% in Lesja, compared with an average of 0.9% in Innlandet and 1.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 43.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 864 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Innlandet for “Elevation”.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 303,501 football pitches.
- Its population density is 20.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Lom, 41.6 km away.
Lesja in numbers
All indicators for Lesja
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 | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −17.3 per 1,000 inh. | 7.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 344 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 28.4% | 24.3% | 23.7% | ranked 47 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.9% | 17.8% | 18.7% | ranked 227 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,107 | 205,974 | 2,760,619 | ranked 291 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 27.0% | 18.2% | 16.4% | ranked 28 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 13.6% | 20.8% | 21.8% | ranked 292 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 96.7% | 82.9% | 89.9% | ranked 11 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 0.5% | 11.0% | 4.4% | ranked 310 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,150 per 1,000 inh. | 235.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 22 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 433 | 48,243 | 656,492 | ranked 242 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 220.2 per 1,000 inh. | 127.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 21 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 494,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 207 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 505 per 1,000 inh. | 62,253 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 248 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 256.9 per 1,000 inh. | 164.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 27 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 12.2 per 1,000 inh. | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 152 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 73.5% | 65.7% | 67.5% | ranked 11 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.9% | ranked 334 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 650 per 1,000 inh. | 633 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 51 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 12.7% | 18.8% | 19.7% | ranked 291 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 10.7% | 15.1% | 15.2% | ranked 313 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.2 years | 82.2 | 82.8 | ranked 259 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Lesja | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 27.5% | 30.3% | 27.5% | ranked 175 of 351 |
Population of Lesja over time
Lesja had 2,055 residents in 2016 and 1,966 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,980 |
| 2022 | 1,986 |
| 2023 | 1,966 |
| 2024 | 1,983 |
| 2025 | 2,006 |
| 2026 | 1,966 |
Where is Lesja?
Business sectors: Lesja
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing43.8% ×4.3
- Construction13.0% ×1.2
- Real estate8.6% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade5.1% ×0.5
- Professional, scientific and technical4.9% ×0.4
- Health and social work4.9% ×0.5
- Manufacturing3.2% ×1.0
- Transport and storage3.2% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Lesja
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lesja?
Lesja has 1,966 residents (2026), ranking 283 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Lesja?
Lesja covers 2,167.0 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Lesja growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lesja went from 2,055 to 1,966, a change of −4.3%.
Where is Lesja?
Lesja is in Innlandet. Latitude 62.211, longitude 8.645.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Lesja?
In Lesja, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −17.3 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 344 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Lesja?
In Lesja, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.3% (2025), ranking 334 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lesja?
In Lesja, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 864 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lesja?
The nearest to Lesja are Lom (42 km), Vågå (44 km), Sunndal (45 km), Skjåk (47 km), Dovre (47 km).