Lillehammer: population and statistics
Lillehammer has a population of 29,669 (2026) across 451.0 km², or 65.8 people per km². It ranks 38 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 29,669 residents
- 451.0 km²
- 66 people/km²
- 260 m
Key points
Among the 46 municipalities in Innlandet, Lillehammer ranks No. 4 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 44.3% in Lillehammer, compared with an average of 30.3% in Innlandet and 38.3% nationally.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: 21.3 per 1,000 inh. in Lillehammer, compared with an average of 7.3 per 1,000 inh. in Innlandet and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 12.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 902 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Innlandet for “Median income before tax (gross income)”.
- Number 1 in Innlandet for “Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages”.
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 63,165 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.6 times the national average.
Lillehammer in numbers
All indicators for Lillehammer
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 | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 21.3 per 1,000 inh. | 7.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 14 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.1% | 24.3% | 23.7% | ranked 230 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.3% | 17.8% | 18.7% | ranked 200 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 16,400 | 205,974 | 2,760,619 | ranked 36 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 14.4% | 18.2% | 16.4% | ranked 214 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 23.8% | 20.8% | 21.8% | ranked 142 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 65.9% | 82.9% | 89.9% | ranked 335 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 22.3% | 11.0% | 4.4% | ranked 20 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 58.8 per 1,000 inh. | 235.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 275 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 3,198 | 48,243 | 656,492 | ranked 36 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 107.8 per 1,000 inh. | 127.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 265 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 525,500 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 82 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 4,302 per 1,000 inh. | 62,253 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 38 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 145.0 per 1,000 inh. | 164.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 250 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.7 per 1,000 inh. | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 181 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 67.8% | 65.7% | 67.5% | ranked 165 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.9% | ranked 268 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 498,242 | – | 112,411 | ranked 10 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 522 per 1,000 inh. | 633 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 301 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 24.0% | 18.8% | 19.7% | ranked 118 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 17.5% | 15.1% | 15.2% | ranked 116 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Lillehammer | 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 | Lillehammer | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 44.3% | 30.3% | 27.5% | ranked 11 of 351 |
Population of Lillehammer over time
Lillehammer had 27,476 residents in 2016 and 29,669 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,493 |
| 2022 | 28,425 |
| 2023 | 28,560 |
| 2024 | 28,768 |
| 2025 | 29,011 |
| 2026 | 29,669 |
Where is Lillehammer?
Business sectors: Lillehammer
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work12.8% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.7% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.7% ×0.9
- Construction9.8% ×0.9
- Real estate9.6% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.2% ×0.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.8% ×1.3
- Information and communication5.4% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Lillehammer
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lillehammer?
Lillehammer has 29,669 residents (2026), ranking 38 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Lillehammer?
Lillehammer covers 451.0 km², with a density of 66 people per km².
Is the population of Lillehammer growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lillehammer went from 27,476 to 29,669, a change of +8.0%.
Where is Lillehammer?
Lillehammer is in Innlandet. Latitude 61.115, longitude 10.467.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Lillehammer?
In Lillehammer, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 44.3% (2025), ranking 11 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Lillehammer?
In Lillehammer, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 21.3 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 14 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lillehammer?
In Lillehammer, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 902 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lillehammer?
The nearest to Lillehammer are Øyer (17 km), Ringsaker (21 km), Gausdal (34 km), Nordre Land (38 km), Gjøvik (38 km).