Drangedal: population and statistics
Drangedal has a population of 4,056 (2026) across 995.0 km², or 4.1 people per km². It ranks 202 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 4,056 residents
- 995.0 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 66 m
Key points
Among the 17 municipalities in Telemark, Drangedal ranks No. 9 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 22.3% in Drangedal, compared with an average of 31.0% in Telemark and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 31.3% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 819 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 139,356 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.5 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Nome (6,529 residents), 20 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,276 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Drangedal in numbers
All indicators for Drangedal
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 | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 186 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.0% | 23.0% | 23.7% | ranked 161 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.2% | 18.5% | 18.7% | ranked 206 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 2,247 | 92,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 205 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 26.1% | 21.2% | 16.4% | ranked 35 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 17.6% | 19.0% | 21.8% | ranked 224 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 90.6% | 80.1% | 89.9% | ranked 156 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 1.5% | 13.5% | 4.4% | ranked 266 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 366.9 per 1,000 inh. | 185.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 79 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 570 | 20,968 | 656,492 | ranked 207 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 140.5 per 1,000 inh. | 117.8 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 148 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 459,400 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 317 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 726 per 1,000 inh. | 28,285 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 207 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 179.0 per 1,000 inh. | 159.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 144 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 260 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 62.7% | 64.3% | 67.5% | ranked 311 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.8% | 1.2% | 0.9% | ranked 198 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 616 per 1,000 inh. | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 108 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 14.6% | 27.0% | 19.7% | ranked 255 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 14.0% | 17.7% | 15.2% | ranked 226 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Drangedal | 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 | Drangedal | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 22.3% | 31.0% | 27.5% | ranked 319 of 351 |
Population of Drangedal over time
Drangedal had 4,136 residents in 2016 and 4,056 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,071 |
| 2022 | 4,093 |
| 2023 | 4,091 |
| 2024 | 4,086 |
| 2025 | 4,067 |
| 2026 | 4,056 |
Where is Drangedal?
Business sectors: Drangedal
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing31.3% ×3.0
- Construction16.6% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade9.0% ×0.8
- Health and social work7.6% ×0.8
- Real estate6.7% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical5.0% ×0.4
- Other service activities3.7% ×0.9
- Arts, entertainment and recreation3.4% ×0.6
Sunshine and temperatures: Drangedal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Drangedal?
Drangedal has 4,056 residents (2026), ranking 202 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Drangedal?
Drangedal covers 995.0 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Drangedal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Drangedal went from 4,136 to 4,056, a change of −1.9%.
Where is Drangedal?
Drangedal is in Telemark. Latitude 59.123, longitude 8.982.
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Drangedal?
In Drangedal, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 459,400 NOK (2024), ranking 317 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Drangedal?
In Drangedal, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 22.3% (2025), ranking 319 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Drangedal?
In Drangedal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 819 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Drangedal?
The nearest to Drangedal are Nome (20 km), Gjerstad (26 km), Nissedal (27 km), Kragerø (34 km), Skien (34 km).