Seljord: population and statistics
Seljord has a population of 2,959 (2026) across 669.0 km², or 4.4 people per km². It ranks 230 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,959 residents
- 669.0 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 179 m
Key points
Among the 17 municipalities in Telemark, Seljord ranks No. 11 by population.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 18.6 per 1,000 inh. in Seljord, compared with an average of 11.5 per 1,000 inh. in Telemark and 13.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 82.2 years in Seljord, compared with an average of 82.2 years in Telemark and 83.1 years nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 20.9% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 892 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher 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 93,697 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Hjartdal, 17.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Midt-Telemark (11,157 residents), 26 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,568 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Seljord in numbers
All indicators for Seljord
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 | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −4.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 306 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.9% | 23.0% | 23.7% | ranked 101 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.5% | 18.5% | 18.7% | ranked 187 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,732 | 92,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 230 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 19.2% | 21.2% | 16.4% | ranked 131 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 17.1% | 19.0% | 21.8% | ranked 234 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 94.6% | 80.1% | 89.9% | ranked 57 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.7% | 13.5% | 4.4% | ranked 225 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 464.0 per 1,000 inh. | 185.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 60 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 584 | 20,968 | 656,492 | ranked 206 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 197.4 per 1,000 inh. | 117.8 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 49 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 483,400 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 260 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 749 per 1,000 inh. | 28,285 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 202 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 253.1 per 1,000 inh. | 159.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 32 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 18.6 per 1,000 inh. | 11.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 19 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 67.4% | 64.3% | 67.5% | ranked 177 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.9% | 1.2% | 0.9% | ranked 164 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 605 per 1,000 inh. | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 130 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 19.3% | 27.0% | 19.7% | ranked 184 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 14.7% | 17.7% | 15.2% | ranked 198 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Seljord | 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 | Seljord | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 29.1% | 31.0% | 27.5% | ranked 130 of 351 |
Population of Seljord over time
Seljord had 2,991 residents in 2016 and 2,959 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,900 |
| 2022 | 2,889 |
| 2023 | 2,939 |
| 2024 | 2,979 |
| 2025 | 2,981 |
| 2026 | 2,959 |
Where is Seljord?
Business sectors: Seljord
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing20.9% ×2.0
- Construction15.0% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade9.2% ×0.8
- Health and social work8.0% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical7.8% ×0.7
- Real estate7.5% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services4.7% ×1.5
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.2% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Seljord
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Seljord?
Seljord has 2,959 residents (2026), ranking 230 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Seljord?
Seljord covers 669.0 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Seljord growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Seljord went from 2,991 to 2,959, a change of −1.1%.
Where is Seljord?
Seljord is in Telemark. Latitude 59.513, longitude 8.649.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Seljord?
In Seljord, “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 18.6 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 19 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 11.9 per 1,000 inh..
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Seljord?
In Seljord, “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.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Seljord?
In Seljord, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 892 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Seljord?
The nearest to Seljord are Hjartdal (17 km), Kviteseid (20 km), Midt-Telemark (26 km), Notodden (35 km), Nome (37 km).