Skien: population and statistics
Skien has a population of 56,906 (2026) across 719.0 km², or 79.1 people per km². It ranks 18 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.5% between 2016 and 2026.
- 56,906 residents
- 719.0 km²
- 79 people/km²
- 88 m
Key points
Among the 17 municipalities in Telemark, Skien ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 1,008 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Telemark for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Telemark for “Share of population with immigrant background”.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: 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 100,700 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.3 times the national average.
Skien in numbers
All indicators for Skien
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 | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 220 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.6% | 23.0% | 23.7% | ranked 245 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 19.1% | 18.5% | 18.7% | ranked 145 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 27,516 | 92,912 | 2,760,619 | ranked 18 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.0% | 21.2% | 16.4% | ranked 99 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 19.1% | 19.0% | 21.8% | ranked 204 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 74.8% | 80.1% | 89.9% | ranked 322 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 21.5% | 13.5% | 4.4% | ranked 23 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 17.3 per 1,000 inh. | 185.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 326 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 5,601 | 20,968 | 656,492 | ranked 18 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 98.4 per 1,000 inh. | 117.8 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 306 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 497,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 193 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 7,787 per 1,000 inh. | 28,285 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 18 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 136.8 per 1,000 inh. | 159.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 283 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.0 per 1,000 inh. | 11.5 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 217 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 64.2% | 64.3% | 67.5% | ranked 278 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 | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 94,400 | – | 112,411 | ranked 61 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 546 per 1,000 inh. | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 274 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 30.7% | 27.0% | 19.7% | ranked 55 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 21.0% | 17.7% | 15.2% | ranked 56 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Skien | 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 | Skien | Telemark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 32.5% | 31.0% | 27.5% | ranked 71 of 351 |
Population of Skien over time
Skien had 53,952 residents in 2016 and 56,906 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 55,144 |
| 2022 | 55,513 |
| 2023 | 55,924 |
| 2024 | 56,619 |
| 2025 | 56,866 |
| 2026 | 56,906 |
Where is Skien?
Business sectors: Skien
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.2% ×1.4
- Real estate12.2% ×1.1
- Construction12.1% ×1.1
- Health and social work11.0% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.8% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.5% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services4.5% ×1.0
- Other service activities4.4% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Skien
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Skien?
Skien has 56,906 residents (2026), ranking 18 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Skien?
Skien covers 719.0 km², with a density of 79 people per km².
Is the population of Skien growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Skien went from 53,952 to 56,906, a change of +5.5%.
Where is Skien?
Skien is in Telemark. Latitude 59.208, longitude 9.553.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Skien?
In Skien, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 27,516 (2026), ranking 18 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Establishments: what is the figure for Skien?
In Skien, “Establishments” stands at 5,601 (2026), ranking 18 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 709.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Skien?
In Skien, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 1,008 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Skien?
The nearest to Skien are Porsgrunn (9.4 km), Siljan (13 km), Bamble (21 km), Nome (26 km), Larvik (32 km).