Karmøy: population and statistics
Karmøy has a population of 43,990 (2026) across 219.0 km², or 201 people per km². It ranks 26 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 43,990 residents
- 219.0 km²
- 201 people/km²
- 62 m
Key points
Among the 23 municipalities in Rogaland, Karmøy ranks No. 3 by population.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 15.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 895 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants under 18”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 30,672 football pitches.
- Its population density is 10.9 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Bokn, 11.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Stavanger (151,669 residents), 42 km away.
Karmøy in numbers
All indicators for Karmøy
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 | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.7 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 189 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 18.8% | 16.9% | 23.7% | ranked 298 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 22.0% | 22.0% | 18.7% | ranked 34 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 20,071 | 228,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 25 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 11.9% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 252 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 28.8% | 33.5% | 21.8% | ranked 80 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 91.3% | 76.9% | 89.9% | ranked 140 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 5.5% | 18.9% | 4.4% | ranked 146 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 19.6 per 1,000 inh. | 37.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 324 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 4,000 | 52,915 | 656,492 | ranked 27 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 90.9 per 1,000 inh. | 104.0 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 327 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 524,000 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 88 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 5,472 per 1,000 inh. | 72,613 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 26 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 124.4 per 1,000 inh. | 142.7 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 315 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.6 per 1,000 inh. | 12.2 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 239 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 67.3% | 70.0% | 67.5% | ranked 180 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.9% | ranked 198 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 560 per 1,000 inh. | 510 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 246 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 31.8% | 34.2% | 19.7% | ranked 49 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 12.8% | 22.0% | 15.2% | ranked 261 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 83.2 years | 83.2 | 82.8 | ranked 92 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Karmøy | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 26.7% | 36.8% | 27.5% | ranked 203 of 351 |
Population of Karmøy over time
Karmøy had 42,187 residents in 2016 and 43,990 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 42,345 |
| 2022 | 42,541 |
| 2023 | 42,903 |
| 2024 | 43,306 |
| 2025 | 43,723 |
| 2026 | 43,990 |
Where is Karmøy?
Business sectors: Karmøy
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction15.2% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade13.9% ×1.2
- Real estate12.5% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical9.6% ×0.8
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.9% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.2% ×0.8
- Manufacturing5.5% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services4.6% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Karmøy
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Karmøy?
Karmøy has 43,990 residents (2026), ranking 26 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Karmøy?
Karmøy covers 219.0 km², with a density of 201 people per km².
Is the population of Karmøy growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Karmøy went from 42,187 to 43,990, a change of +4.3%.
Where is Karmøy?
Karmøy is in Rogaland. Latitude 59.250, longitude 5.250.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Karmøy?
In Karmøy, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 20,071 (2026), ranking 25 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Establishments: what is the figure for Karmøy?
In Karmøy, “Establishments” stands at 4,000 (2026), ranking 27 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 709.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Karmøy?
In Karmøy, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 895 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Karmøy?
The nearest to Karmøy are Bokn (11 km), Haugesund (18 km), Tysvær (21 km), Utsira (22 km), Kvitsøy (23 km).