Surnadal: population and statistics
Surnadal has a population of 5,982 (2026) across 1,314.0 km², or 4.6 people per km². It ranks 164 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is stable: +0.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,982 residents
- 1,314.0 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 570 m
Key points
Among the 27 municipalities in Møre og Romsdal, Surnadal ranks No. 17 by population.
Share of population with immigrant background: 10.2% in Surnadal, compared with an average of 16.7% in Møre og Romsdal and 21.8% nationally.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: 653 per 1,000 inh. in Surnadal, compared with an average of 582 per 1,000 inh. in Møre og Romsdal and 505 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 23.4% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 772 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of population with immigrant background”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 184,034 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Rindal, 28.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kristiansund (24,479 residents), 55 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,088 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Surnadal in numbers
All indicators for Surnadal
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 | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.3 per 1,000 inh. | 2.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 166 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 26.3% | 21.9% | 23.7% | ranked 92 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.8% | 19.7% | 18.7% | ranked 166 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 3,033 | 138,587 | 2,760,619 | ranked 172 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.8% | 15.2% | 16.4% | ranked 56 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 17.3% | 24.0% | 21.8% | ranked 229 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 89.9% | 82.9% | 89.9% | ranked 173 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 6.8% | 11.2% | 4.4% | ranked 125 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 233.9 per 1,000 inh. | 66.5 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 118 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 985 | 30,396 | 656,492 | ranked 134 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 164.7 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 101 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 491,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 221 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,207 per 1,000 inh. | 38,655 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 140 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 201.8 per 1,000 inh. | 141.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 98 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 | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 68.1% | 68.8% | 67.5% | ranked 155 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.3% | 0.9% | 0.9% | ranked 43 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 653 per 1,000 inh. | 582 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 47 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 18.6% | 27.5% | 19.7% | ranked 196 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 10.2% | 16.7% | 15.2% | ranked 322 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Surnadal | 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 | Surnadal | Møre og Romsdal | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 26.8% | 32.4% | 27.5% | ranked 196 of 351 |
Population of Surnadal over time
Surnadal had 5,969 residents in 2016 and 5,982 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,872 |
| 2022 | 5,849 |
| 2023 | 5,912 |
| 2024 | 5,953 |
| 2025 | 5,950 |
| 2026 | 5,982 |
Where is Surnadal?
Business sectors: Surnadal
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate23.4% ×2.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing22.5% ×2.2
- Construction10.6% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade7.6% ×0.7
- Health and social work6.2% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical5.8% ×0.5
- Manufacturing4.4% ×1.3
- Arts, entertainment and recreation3.2% ×0.6
Sunshine and temperatures: Surnadal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Surnadal?
Surnadal has 5,982 residents (2026), ranking 164 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Surnadal?
Surnadal covers 1,314.0 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Surnadal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Surnadal went from 5,969 to 5,982, a change of +0.2%.
Where is Surnadal?
Surnadal is in Møre og Romsdal. Latitude 62.947, longitude 8.770.
Share of population with immigrant background: what is the figure for Surnadal?
In Surnadal, “Share of population with immigrant background” stands at 10.2% (2025), ranking 322 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 15.2%.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Surnadal?
In Surnadal, “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 653 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 47 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 591 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Surnadal?
In Surnadal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 772 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Surnadal?
The nearest to Surnadal are Rindal (28 km), Tingvoll (29 km), Aure (37 km), Sunndal (38 km), Heim (41 km).