Halden: population and statistics
Halden has a population of 32,082 (2026) across 595.0 km², or 53.9 people per km². It ranks 33 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 32,082 residents
- 595.0 km²
- 54 people/km²
- 130 m
Key points
Among the 12 municipalities in Østfold, Halden ranks No. 5 by population.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: 59.7% in Halden, compared with an average of 62.6% in Østfold and 68.2% nationally.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 82.0 years in Halden, compared with an average of 82.0 years in Østfold and 83.1 years nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 13.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 920 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Østfold for “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”.
- “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 83,333 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.9 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Aremark, 16.2 km away.
Halden in numbers
All indicators for Halden
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 | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.0 per 1,000 inh. | 7.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 177 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.8% | 21.3% | 23.7% | ranked 207 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.1% | 19.1% | 18.7% | ranked 214 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 16,799 | 149,193 | 2,760,619 | ranked 33 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.3% | 17.6% | 16.4% | ranked 64 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.8% | 26.2% | 21.8% | ranked 156 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 77.6% | 76.1% | 89.9% | ranked 301 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 14.6% | 19.4% | 4.4% | ranked 63 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 58.0 per 1,000 inh. | 62.7 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 277 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 3,168 | 33,434 | 656,492 | ranked 37 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 98.7 per 1,000 inh. | 105.6 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 302 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 472,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 294 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 4,397 per 1,000 inh. | 45,332 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 37 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 137.1 per 1,000 inh. | 143.3 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 281 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.7 per 1,000 inh. | 11.6 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 181 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 59.7% | 62.6% | 67.5% | ranked 342 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.9% | ranked 25 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 572 per 1,000 inh. | 552 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 215 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 25.5% | 30.5% | 19.7% | ranked 96 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 18.4% | 22.8% | 15.2% | ranked 93 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.0 years | 82.0 | 82.8 | ranked 322 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Halden | Østfold | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 31.0% | 30.4% | 27.5% | ranked 90 of 351 |
Population of Halden over time
Halden had 30,544 residents in 2016 and 32,082 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 31,387 |
| 2022 | 31,444 |
| 2023 | 31,730 |
| 2024 | 31,935 |
| 2025 | 32,038 |
| 2026 | 32,082 |
Where is Halden?
Business sectors: Halden
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade13.2% ×1.2
- Real estate12.3% ×1.1
- Construction11.7% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.6% ×1.0
- Health and social work10.1% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical8.5% ×0.7
- Information and communication4.9% ×1.0
- Transport and storage4.5% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Halden
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Halden?
Halden has 32,082 residents (2026), ranking 33 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Halden?
Halden covers 595.0 km², with a density of 54 people per km².
Is the population of Halden growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Halden went from 30,544 to 32,082, a change of +5.0%.
Where is Halden?
Halden is in Østfold. Latitude 59.126, longitude 11.483.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Halden?
In Halden, “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74” stands at 59.7% (2025), ranking 342 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 67.5%.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Halden?
In Halden, “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)” stands at 82.0 years (2025), ranking 322 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 82.8 years.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Halden?
In Halden, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 920 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Halden?
The nearest to Halden are Aremark (16 km), Sarpsborg (24 km), Rakkestad (28 km), Hvaler (29 km), Fredrikstad (32 km).