Molde: population and statistics
Molde has a population of 33,291 (2026) across 1,435.0 km², or 23.2 people per km². It ranks 32 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 33,291 residents
- 1,435.0 km²
- 23 people/km²
- 0 m
Key points
Among the 27 municipalities in Møre og Romsdal, Molde ranks No. 2 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 39.2% in Molde, compared with an average of 32.4% in Møre og Romsdal and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 13.9% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 732 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 200,980 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Aukra, 17.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ålesund (59,663 residents), 60 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,928 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Molde in numbers
All indicators for Molde
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 | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 inh. | 2.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 197 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.4% | 21.9% | 23.7% | ranked 220 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 19.6% | 19.7% | 18.7% | ranked 120 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 17,264 | 138,587 | 2,760,619 | ranked 31 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 11.9% | 15.2% | 16.4% | ranked 252 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.7% | 24.0% | 21.8% | ranked 157 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 75.6% | 82.9% | 89.9% | ranked 315 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 17.9% | 11.2% | 4.4% | ranked 44 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 46.7 per 1,000 inh. | 66.5 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 289 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 3,559 | 30,396 | 656,492 | ranked 34 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 106.9 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 269 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 535,900 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 54 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 4,512 per 1,000 inh. | 38,655 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 35 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 135.5 per 1,000 inh. | 141.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 286 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.7 per 1,000 inh. | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 276 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 68.8% | 68.8% | 67.5% | ranked 132 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.9% | ranked 129 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 226,018 | – | 112,411 | ranked 26 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 570 per 1,000 inh. | 582 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 219 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 27.5% | 27.5% | 19.7% | ranked 84 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 16.5% | 16.7% | 15.2% | ranked 142 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 83.6 years | 83.6 | 82.8 | ranked 64 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Molde | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 39.2% | 32.4% | 27.5% | ranked 26 of 351 |
Population of Molde over time
Molde had 31,790 residents in 2016 and 33,291 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 31,870 |
| 2022 | 32,002 |
| 2023 | 32,446 |
| 2024 | 32,816 |
| 2025 | 33,163 |
| 2026 | 33,291 |
Where is Molde?
Business sectors: Molde
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate13.9% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.5% ×1.1
- Health and social work11.0% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.6% ×0.9
- Construction9.7% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing9.2% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.7% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services4.5% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Molde
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Molde?
Molde has 33,291 residents (2026), ranking 32 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Molde?
Molde covers 1,435.0 km², with a density of 23 people per km².
Is the population of Molde growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Molde went from 31,790 to 33,291, a change of +4.7%.
Where is Molde?
Molde is in Møre og Romsdal. Latitude 62.733, longitude 7.183.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Molde?
In Molde, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 39.2% (2025), ranking 26 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Molde?
In Molde, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 17,264 (2026), ranking 31 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Molde?
In Molde, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 732 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Molde?
The nearest to Molde are Aukra (17 km), Vestnes (19 km), Hustadvika (21 km), Averøy (35 km), Rauma (40 km).