Stavanger: population and statistics
Stavanger has a population of 151,669 (2026) across 256.0 km², or 592 people per km². It ranks 4 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 151,669 residents
- 256.0 km²
- 592 people/km²
- 12 m
Key points
Among the 23 municipalities in Rogaland, Stavanger ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 848 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Rogaland for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Rogaland for “Population density”.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 35,854 football pitches.
- Its population density is 32.0 times the national average.
Stavanger in numbers
All indicators for Stavanger
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 | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.9 per 1,000 inh. | 4.7 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 133 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 16.4% | 16.9% | 23.7% | ranked 333 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 20.6% | 22.0% | 18.7% | ranked 81 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 69,446 | 228,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 4 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 17.1% | 11.1% | 16.4% | ranked 162 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 26.4% | 33.5% | 21.8% | ranked 114 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 66.3% | 76.9% | 89.9% | ranked 334 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 28.7% | 18.9% | 4.4% | ranked 14 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.8 per 1,000 inh. | 37.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 335 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 15,402 | 52,915 | 656,492 | ranked 5 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 101.6 per 1,000 inh. | 104.0 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 291 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 574,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 9 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 22,591 per 1,000 inh. | 72,613 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 5 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 148.9 per 1,000 inh. | 142.7 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 231 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.5 per 1,000 inh. | 12.2 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 86 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 69.4% | 70.0% | 67.5% | ranked 106 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.9% | ranked 43 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 1,205,785 | – | 112,411 | ranked 6 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 448 per 1,000 inh. | 510 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 340 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 38.6% | 34.2% | 19.7% | ranked 18 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 26.7% | 22.0% | 15.2% | ranked 21 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Stavanger | 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 | Stavanger | Rogaland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 46.9% | 36.8% | 27.5% | ranked 7 of 351 |
Population of Stavanger over time
Stavanger had 140,721 residents in 2016 and 151,669 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 144,147 |
| 2022 | 144,699 |
| 2023 | 146,011 |
| 2024 | 149,048 |
| 2025 | 150,123 |
| 2026 | 151,669 |
Where is Stavanger?
Business sectors: Stavanger
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.2% ×1.5
- Real estate11.3% ×1.0
- Health and social work11.0% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade10.4% ×0.9
- Construction7.2% ×0.7
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.2% ×1.1
- Information and communication5.6% ×1.2
- Other service activities5.0% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Stavanger
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Stavanger?
Stavanger has 151,669 residents (2026), ranking 4 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Stavanger?
Stavanger covers 256.0 km², with a density of 592 people per km².
Is the population of Stavanger growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Stavanger went from 140,721 to 151,669, a change of +7.8%.
Where is Stavanger?
Stavanger is in Rogaland. Latitude 58.970, longitude 5.731.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Stavanger?
In Stavanger, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 69,446 (2026), ranking 4 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Establishments: what is the figure for Stavanger?
In Stavanger, “Establishments” stands at 15,402 (2026), ranking 5 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 709.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Stavanger?
In Stavanger, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 848 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Stavanger?
The nearest to Stavanger are Randaberg (7.5 km), Sola (12 km), Sandnes (15 km), Strand (20 km), Kvitsøy (21 km).