Vågan: population and statistics
Vågan has a population of 9,905 (2026) across 460.0 km², or 21.5 people per km². It ranks 116 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 9,905 residents
- 460.0 km²
- 22 people/km²
- 80 m
Key points
Among the 41 municipalities in Nordland - Nordlánnda, Vågan ranks No. 7 by population.
Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses: 76.2% in Vågan, compared with an average of 81.1% in Nordland - Nordlánnda and 67.9% nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 15.6% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 48° generates about 785 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 64,426 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Vestvågøy, 31.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Harstad - Hárstták (25,204 residents), 100 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,140 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Vågan in numbers
All indicators for Vågan
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 | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.4 per 1,000 inh. | 0.1 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 210 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | ranked 228 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.2% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 206 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 5,525 | 132,814 | 2,760,619 | ranked 106 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 15.5% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 194 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.1% | 19.9% | 21.8% | ranked 168 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 76.2% | 81.1% | 89.9% | ranked 309 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 16.2% | 12.9% | 4.4% | ranked 52 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 85.0 per 1,000 inh. | 119.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 246 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,508 | 27,283 | 656,492 | ranked 91 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 152.2 per 1,000 inh. | 112.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 119 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 504,200 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 157 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,864 per 1,000 inh. | 33,457 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 99 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 188.2 per 1,000 inh. | 137.5 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 122 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 14.9 per 1,000 inh. | 10.8 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 52 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 68.5% | 67.7% | 67.5% | ranked 141 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.9% | ranked 129 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 448,107 | – | 112,411 | ranked 11 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 531 per 1,000 inh. | 565 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 294 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 15.1% | 21.5% | 19.7% | ranked 248 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 20.0% | 14.0% | 15.2% | ranked 71 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Vågan | 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 | Vågan | Nordland - Nordlánnda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 31.3% | 30.9% | 27.5% | ranked 87 of 351 |
Population of Vågan over time
Vågan had 9,350 residents in 2016 and 9,905 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,670 |
| 2022 | 9,724 |
| 2023 | 9,736 |
| 2024 | 9,793 |
| 2025 | 9,871 |
| 2026 | 9,905 |
Where is Vågan?
Business sectors: Vågan
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate15.6% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.3% ×1.0
- Construction10.3% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.1% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade9.5% ×0.8
- Health and social work8.0% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services6.9% ×1.5
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.1% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Vågan
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vågan?
Vågan has 9,905 residents (2026), ranking 116 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Vågan?
Vågan covers 460.0 km², with a density of 22 people per km².
Is the population of Vågan growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Vågan went from 9,350 to 9,905, a change of +5.9%.
Where is Vågan?
Vågan is in Nordland - Nordlánnda. Latitude 68.278, longitude 14.521.
Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages: what is the figure for Vågan?
In Vågan, “Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages” stands at 448,107 (2025), ranking 11 of 103 municipalities; the national median is 112,411.
Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses: what is the figure for Vågan?
In Vågan, “Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses” stands at 76.2% (2026), ranking 309 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 89.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vågan?
In Vågan, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 48° produces about 785 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vågan?
The nearest to Vågan are Vestvågøy (31 km), Hadsel (31 km), Lødingen (45 km), Bø (46 km), Flakstad (56 km).