Kragerø: population and statistics
Kragerø has a population of 10,378 (2026) across 289.0 km², or 35.9 people per km². It ranks 111 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 10,378 residents
- 289.0 km²
- 36 people/km²
- 9 m
Key points
Among the 17 municipalities in Telemark, Kragerø ranks No. 6 by population.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: 28.9% in Kragerø, compared with an average of 21.2% in Telemark and 15.9% nationally.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: 61.3% in Kragerø, compared with an average of 64.3% in Telemark and 68.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 15.0% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 943 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Telemark for “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1946”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 40,476 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Bamble, 19.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Porsgrunn (37,435 residents), 33 km away.
Kragerø in numbers
All indicators for Kragerø
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 | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −2.8 per 1,000 inh. | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 294 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 27.7% | 23.0% | 23.7% | ranked 57 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 16.8% | 18.5% | 18.7% | ranked 277 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 5,958 | 92,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 102 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 28.9% | 21.2% | 16.4% | ranked 14 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 16.4% | 19.0% | 21.8% | ranked 244 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 87.9% | 80.1% | 89.9% | ranked 209 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 6.7% | 13.5% | 4.4% | ranked 131 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 335.1 per 1,000 inh. | 185.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 88 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,387 | 20,968 | 656,492 | ranked 99 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 133.6 per 1,000 inh. | 117.8 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 165 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 472,400 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 292 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,936 per 1,000 inh. | 28,285 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 94 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 186.5 per 1,000 inh. | 159.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 126 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.7 per 1,000 inh. | 11.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 181 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 61.3% | 64.3% | 67.5% | ranked 332 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.9% | ranked 43 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 129,603 | – | 112,411 | ranked 45 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 537 per 1,000 inh. | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 288 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 24.9% | 27.0% | 19.7% | ranked 105 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 14.8% | 17.7% | 15.2% | ranked 195 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Kragerø | 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 | Kragerø | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 29.1% | 31.0% | 27.5% | ranked 130 of 351 |
Population of Kragerø over time
Kragerø had 10,607 residents in 2016 and 10,378 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,416 |
| 2022 | 10,351 |
| 2023 | 10,413 |
| 2024 | 10,445 |
| 2025 | 10,446 |
| 2026 | 10,378 |
Where is Kragerø?
Business sectors: Kragerø
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate15.0% ×1.4
- Construction14.6% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade11.1% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical8.2% ×0.7
- Health and social work7.9% ×0.8
- Manufacturing7.7% ×2.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.2% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Kragerø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kragerø?
Kragerø has 10,378 residents (2026), ranking 111 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Kragerø?
Kragerø covers 289.0 km², with a density of 36 people per km².
Is the population of Kragerø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Kragerø went from 10,607 to 10,378, a change of −2.2%.
Where is Kragerø?
Kragerø is in Telemark. Latitude 58.887, longitude 9.347.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: what is the figure for Kragerø?
In Kragerø, “Share of dwellings built before 1946” stands at 28.9% (2026), ranking 14 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 16.4%.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Kragerø?
In Kragerø, “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74” stands at 61.3% (2025), ranking 332 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 67.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kragerø?
In Kragerø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 943 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kragerø?
The nearest to Kragerø are Bamble (19 km), Risør (19 km), Gjerstad (22 km), Vegårshei (32 km), Porsgrunn (33 km).