Bodø: population and statistics
Bodø has a population of 53,638 (2026) across 1,311.0 km², or 40.9 people per km². It ranks 19 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 53,638 residents
- 1,311.0 km²
- 41 people/km²
- 20 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Bodø ranks No. 1 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 41.1% in Bodø, compared with an average of 30.9% in Nordland - Nordlánnda 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 50° generates about 844 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Nordland - Nordlánnda for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Nordland - Nordlánnda for “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 183,613 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times the national average.
Bodø in numbers
All indicators for Bodø
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 | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −4.2 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 308 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 18.6% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 304 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 19.3% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 135 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 28,173 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 16 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 5.6% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 318 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 32.0% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 62 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 64.6% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 337 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 28.0% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 15 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 50.5 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 287 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 5,204 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 22 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 97.0 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 310 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 557,200 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 21 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 6,650 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 22 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 124.0 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 318 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.7 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 276 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 71.3% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 51 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 238 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 610,022 | – | 112,411 | ranked 9 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 504 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 318 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 31.7% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 50 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.7% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 231 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Bodø | 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 | Bodø | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 41.1% | 30.9% | 27.5% | ranked 17 of 351 |
Population of Bodø over time
Bodø had 50,488 residents in 2016 and 53,638 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 52,560 |
| 2022 | 52,803 |
| 2023 | 53,259 |
| 2024 | 53,712 |
| 2025 | 53,725 |
| 2026 | 53,638 |
Where is Bodø?
Business sectors: Bodø
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
- Health and social work12.5% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.1% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.5% ×0.9
- Construction9.8% ×0.9
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.7% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.7% ×0.5
- Transport and storage4.6% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Bodø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bodø?
Bodø has 53,638 residents (2026), ranking 19 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Bodø?
Bodø covers 1,311.0 km², with a density of 41 people per km².
Is the population of Bodø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bodø went from 50,488 to 53,638, a change of +6.2%.
Where is Bodø?
Bodø is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 67.283, longitude 14.383.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Bodø?
In Bodø, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 28,173 (2026), ranking 16 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Bodø?
In Bodø, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 41.1% (2025), ranking 17 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bodø?
In Bodø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 50° produces about 844 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bodø?
The nearest to Bodø are Gildeskål (32 km), Beiarn (43 km), Fauske - Fuossko (44 km), Sørfold - Fuolldá (53 km), Meløy (63 km).