Steigen: population and statistics
Steigen has a population of 2,679 (2026) across 964.0 km², or 2.8 people per km². It ranks 246 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,679 residents
- 964.0 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 280 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Steigen ranks No. 18 by population.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.4% in Steigen, compared with an average of 0.7% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 1.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 27.5% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 48° generates about 798 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 135,014 football pitches.
- Its population density is 6.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Hábmer - Hamarøy, 38.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Vågan (9,905 residents), 60 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,192 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Steigen in numbers
All indicators for Steigen
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 | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.7 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 117 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 27.1% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 74 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.0% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 266 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,624 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 237 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 17.8% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 150 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 19.0% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 206 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 91.9% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 121 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.2% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 247 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 210.5 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 134 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 385 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 259 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 143.7 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 139 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 506,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 150 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 495 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 257 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 184.8 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 129 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.6 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 189 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 69.9% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 94 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 323 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 16,856 | – | 112,411 | ranked 86 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 630 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 75 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 13.0% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 285 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 16.8% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 136 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Steigen | 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 | Steigen | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 27.7% | 30.9% | 27.5% | ranked 169 of 351 |
Population of Steigen over time
Steigen had 2,543 residents in 2016 and 2,679 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,586 |
| 2022 | 2,591 |
| 2023 | 2,665 |
| 2024 | 2,672 |
| 2025 | 2,662 |
| 2026 | 2,679 |
Where is Steigen?
Business sectors: Steigen
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing27.5% ×2.7
- Construction10.2% ×0.9
- Health and social work8.9% ×0.9
- Real estate7.6% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical7.6% ×0.6
- Wholesale and retail trade7.3% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services5.5% ×1.8
- Manufacturing4.2% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Steigen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Steigen?
Steigen has 2,679 residents (2026), ranking 246 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Steigen?
Steigen covers 964.0 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Steigen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Steigen went from 2,543 to 2,679, a change of +5.3%.
Where is Steigen?
Steigen is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 67.798, longitude 15.172.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Steigen?
In Steigen, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.4% (2025), ranking 323 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages: what is the figure for Steigen?
In Steigen, “Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages” stands at 16,856 (2025), ranking 86 of 103 municipalities; the national median is 112,411.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Steigen?
In Steigen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 48° produces about 798 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Steigen?
The nearest to Steigen are Hábmer - Hamarøy (39 km), Sørfold - Fuolldá (53 km), Vågan (60 km), Fauske - Fuossko (61 km), Bodø (66 km).