Meløy: population and statistics
Meløy has a population of 6,074 (2026) across 798.0 km², or 7.6 people per km². It ranks 162 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −6.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 6,074 residents
- 798.0 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 800 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Meløy ranks No. 12 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 22.0% in Meløy, compared with an average of 30.9% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 38.3% nationally.
Share of population with immigrant background: 10.6% in Meløy, compared with an average of 14.0% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 20.4% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 822 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Share of population with immigrant background”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 111,765 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Rødøy, 26.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Rana - Raane (25,844 residents), 55 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,288 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Meløy in numbers
All indicators for Meløy
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 | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −1.8 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 283 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.4% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 143 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 19.0% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 150 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 3,467 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 154 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 10.8% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 269 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 13.8% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 286 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 88.0% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 207 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 5.0% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 154 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 99.4 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 232 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 687 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 183 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 113.1 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 238 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 511,600 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 137 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 811 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 195 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 133.5 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 293 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.9 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 224 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 66.3% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 214 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 238 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 590 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 177 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 20.4% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 160 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Meløy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 10.6% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 315 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Meløy | 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 | Meløy | 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 Meløy over time
Meløy had 6,471 residents in 2016 and 6,074 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,247 |
| 2022 | 6,214 |
| 2023 | 6,212 |
| 2024 | 6,180 |
| 2025 | 6,104 |
| 2026 | 6,074 |
Where is Meløy?
Business sectors: Meløy
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing20.4% ×2.0
- Construction11.6% ×1.1
- Real estate9.1% ×0.8
- Health and social work8.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade7.9% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical7.6% ×0.6
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.6
- Other service activities4.5% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Meløy
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Meløy?
Meløy has 6,074 residents (2026), ranking 162 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Meløy?
Meløy covers 798.0 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Meløy growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Meløy went from 6,471 to 6,074, a change of −6.1%.
Where is Meløy?
Meløy is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 66.788, longitude 13.676.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Meløy?
In Meløy, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 22.0% (2025), ranking 322 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Share of population with immigrant background: what is the figure for Meløy?
In Meløy, “Share of population with immigrant background” stands at 10.6% (2025), ranking 315 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 15.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Meløy?
In Meløy, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 822 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Meløy?
The nearest to Meløy are Rødøy (27 km), Gildeskål (31 km), Beiarn (46 km), Lurøy (54 km), Rana - Raane (55 km).