Bø: population and statistics
Bø has a population of 2,609 (2026) across 235.0 km², or 11.1 people per km². It ranks 249 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −0.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,609 residents
- 235.0 km²
- 11 people/km²
- 29 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Bø ranks No. 19 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 31.2% in Bø, compared with an average of 22.9% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 19.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 24.6% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 50° generates about 843 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 32,913 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Hadsel (8,374 residents), 20 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,372 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Bø in numbers
All indicators for Bø
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 | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.3 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 70 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 31.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 16 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 14.4% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 332 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,615 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 238 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 15.0% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 200 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 14.8% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 267 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 90.3% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 165 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 4.2% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 180 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 127.3 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 198 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 353 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 268 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 135.3 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 161 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 445,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 341 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 436 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 269 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 176 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 15.3 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 46 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 63.6% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 293 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 306 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 20,990 | – | 112,411 | ranked 85 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 623 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 88 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 13.5% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 277 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 14.1% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 220 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.6 years | 82.6 | 82.8 | ranked 221 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Bø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 22.0% | 30.9% | 27.5% | ranked 322 of 351 |
Population of Bø over time
Bø had 2,632 residents in 2016 and 2,609 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,576 |
| 2022 | 2,565 |
| 2023 | 2,584 |
| 2024 | 2,634 |
| 2025 | 2,617 |
| 2026 | 2,609 |
Where is Bø?
Business sectors: Bø
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing24.6% ×2.4
- Real estate13.3% ×1.2
- Construction10.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work9.0% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade5.8% ×0.5
- Professional, scientific and technical5.8% ×0.5
- Accommodation and food services5.2% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services4.9% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Bø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bø?
Bø has 2,609 residents (2026), ranking 249 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Bø?
Bø covers 235.0 km², with a density of 11 people per km².
Is the population of Bø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bø went from 2,632 to 2,609, a change of −0.9%.
Where is Bø?
Bø is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 68.695, longitude 14.579.
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Bø?
In Bø, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 445,100 NOK (2024), ranking 341 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Bø?
In Bø, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 31.2% (2026), ranking 16 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 23.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bø?
In Bø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 50° produces about 843 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bø?
The nearest to Bø are Hadsel (20 km), Øksnes (32 km), Sortland - Suortá (34 km), Vågan (46 km), Lødingen (52 km).