Bamble: population and statistics
Bamble has a population of 14,267 (2026) across 282.0 km², or 50.6 people per km². It ranks 87 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 14,267 residents
- 282.0 km²
- 51 people/km²
- 121 m
Key points
Among the 17 municipalities in Telemark, Bamble ranks No. 3 by population.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 82.2 years in Bamble, compared with an average of 82.2 years in Telemark and 83.1 years nationally.
Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 102.1 per 1,000 inh. in Bamble, compared with an average of 117.8 per 1,000 inh. in Telemark and 116.7 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 15.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 1,026 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 39,496 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Porsgrunn (37,435 residents), 15 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,104 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Bamble in numbers
All indicators for Bamble
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 | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 248 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.5% | 23.0% | 23.7% | ranked 141 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.2% | 18.5% | 18.7% | ranked 206 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 6,840 | 92,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 92 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 16.5% | 21.2% | 16.4% | ranked 174 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.0% | 19.0% | 21.8% | ranked 171 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 91.6% | 80.1% | 89.9% | ranked 129 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 4.6% | 13.5% | 4.4% | ranked 165 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 169.6 per 1,000 inh. | 185.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 168 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,457 | 20,968 | 656,492 | ranked 95 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 102.1 per 1,000 inh. | 117.8 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 290 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 503,200 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 163 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,993 per 1,000 inh. | 28,285 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 89 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 139.7 per 1,000 inh. | 159.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 268 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.4 per 1,000 inh. | 11.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 197 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 63.8% | 64.3% | 67.5% | ranked 286 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.9% | ranked 43 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 586 per 1,000 inh. | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 186 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 28.9% | 27.0% | 19.7% | ranked 68 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 12.4% | 17.7% | 15.2% | ranked 274 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.2 years | 82.2 | 82.8 | ranked 259 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Bamble | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 26.8% | 31.0% | 27.5% | ranked 196 of 351 |
Population of Bamble over time
Bamble had 14,088 residents in 2016 and 14,267 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,014 |
| 2022 | 14,056 |
| 2023 | 14,172 |
| 2024 | 14,269 |
| 2025 | 14,310 |
| 2026 | 14,267 |
Where is Bamble?
Business sectors: Bamble
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction15.8% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade12.4% ×1.1
- Real estate10.8% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.8% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.8% ×0.9
- Health and social work8.5% ×0.9
- Manufacturing6.0% ×1.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.9% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Bamble
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bamble?
Bamble has 14,267 residents (2026), ranking 87 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Bamble?
Bamble covers 282.0 km², with a density of 51 people per km².
Is the population of Bamble growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bamble went from 14,088 to 14,267, a change of +1.3%.
Where is Bamble?
Bamble is in Telemark. Latitude 59.020, longitude 9.561.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Bamble?
In Bamble, “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)” stands at 82.2 years (2025), ranking 259 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 82.8 years.
Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Bamble?
In Bamble, “Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 102.1 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 290 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 129.8 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bamble?
In Bamble, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 1,026 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bamble?
The nearest to Bamble are Porsgrunn (15 km), Kragerø (19 km), Skien (21 km), Larvik (27 km), Siljan (32 km).