Sel: population and statistics
Sel has a population of 5,469 (2026) across 888.0 km², or 6.2 people per km². It ranks 178 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −7.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,469 residents
- 888.0 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 740 m
Key points
Among the 46 municipalities in Innlandet, Sel ranks No. 22 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −22.9 per 1,000 inh. in Sel, compared with an average of 7.3 per 1,000 inh. in Innlandet and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 23.1% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 832 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of population with immigrant background”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 124,370 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Dovre, 24.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Lillehammer (29,669 residents), 91 km away.
Sel in numbers
All indicators for Sel
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 | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −22.9 per 1,000 inh. | 7.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 347 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 28.3% | 24.3% | 23.7% | ranked 49 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 16.7% | 17.8% | 18.7% | ranked 280 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 3,155 | 205,974 | 2,760,619 | ranked 169 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 16.9% | 18.2% | 16.4% | ranked 166 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 12.2% | 20.8% | 21.8% | ranked 308 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 89.5% | 82.9% | 89.9% | ranked 185 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.6% | 11.0% | 4.4% | ranked 230 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 384.5 per 1,000 inh. | 235.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 77 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 809 | 48,243 | 656,492 | ranked 160 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 147.9 per 1,000 inh. | 127.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 131 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 430,800 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 348 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 982 per 1,000 inh. | 62,253 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 167 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 179.6 per 1,000 inh. | 164.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 140 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.0 per 1,000 inh. | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 217 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 66.3% | 65.7% | 67.5% | ranked 214 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | ranked 164 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 117,305 | – | 112,411 | ranked 49 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 664 per 1,000 inh. | 633 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 33 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 12.6% | 18.8% | 19.7% | ranked 294 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 9.6% | 15.1% | 15.2% | ranked 329 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Sel | 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 | Sel | Innlandet | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 23.7% | 30.3% | 27.5% | ranked 289 of 351 |
Population of Sel over time
Sel had 5,935 residents in 2016 and 5,469 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,592 |
| 2022 | 5,531 |
| 2023 | 5,567 |
| 2024 | 5,756 |
| 2025 | 5,623 |
| 2026 | 5,469 |
Where is Sel?
Business sectors: Sel
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing23.1% ×2.2
- Construction11.8% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade10.5% ×0.9
- Real estate9.3% ×0.8
- Health and social work8.8% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services4.9% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services4.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.5% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Sel
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sel?
Sel has 5,469 residents (2026), ranking 178 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Sel?
Sel covers 888.0 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Sel growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Sel went from 5,935 to 5,469, a change of −7.9%.
Where is Sel?
Sel is in Innlandet. Latitude 61.817, longitude 9.573.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Sel?
In Sel, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −22.9 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 347 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Sel?
In Sel, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 430,800 NOK (2024), ranking 348 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sel?
In Sel, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 832 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sel?
The nearest to Sel are Dovre (25 km), Vågå (26 km), Nord-Fron (26 km), Sør-Fron (33 km), Folldal (49 km).