Værøy: population and statistics
Værøy has a population of 656 (2026) across 19.0 km², or 34.5 people per km². It ranks 348 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −14.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 656 residents
- 19.0 km²
- 34 people/km²
- 15 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Værøy ranks No. 38 by population.
Share of dwellings in blocks of flats: 0.0% in Værøy, compared with an average of 12.9% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 26.7% nationally.
Share with university or university college education: 16.7% in Værøy, compared with an average of 30.9% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 26.3% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 50° generates about 944 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,661 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Røst, 29.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Flakstad (1,235 residents), 52 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,776 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Værøy in numbers
All indicators for Værøy
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 | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −21.3 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 346 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 153 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 16.2% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 289 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 392 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 349 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 18.7% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 140 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 5.0% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 345 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 92.3% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 113 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 0.0% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 324 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 24.4 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 313 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 116 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 351 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 176.8 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 84 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 463,800 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 305 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 132 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 350 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 201.2 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 99 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 7.6 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 332 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 66.5% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 203 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 268 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 470 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 331 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 14.6% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 255 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 21.2% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 55 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Værøy | 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 | Værøy | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 16.7% | 30.9% | 27.5% | ranked 351 of 351 |
Population of Værøy over time
Værøy had 765 residents in 2016 and 656 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 698 |
| 2022 | 678 |
| 2023 | 688 |
| 2024 | 683 |
| 2025 | 677 |
| 2026 | 656 |
Where is Værøy?
Business sectors: Værøy
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing26.3% ×2.6
- Real estate12.3% ×1.1
- Manufacturing11.4% ×3.4
- Accommodation and food services10.5% ×3.4
- Health and social work7.9% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade6.1% ×0.5
- Construction4.4% ×0.4
- Administrative and support services4.4% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Værøy
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Værøy?
Værøy has 656 residents (2026), ranking 348 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Værøy?
Værøy covers 19.0 km², with a density of 34 people per km².
Is the population of Værøy growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Værøy went from 765 to 656, a change of −14.2%.
Where is Værøy?
Værøy is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 67.673, longitude 12.669.
Share of dwellings in blocks of flats: what is the figure for Værøy?
In Værøy, “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats” stands at 0.0% (2026), ranking 324 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.4%.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Værøy?
In Værøy, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 16.7% (2025), ranking 351 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Værøy?
In Værøy, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 50° produces about 944 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Værøy?
The nearest to Værøy are Røst (30 km), Moskenes (31 km), Flakstad (52 km), Vestvågøy (77 km), Bodø (85 km).