Balsfjord: population and statistics
Balsfjord has a population of 5,625 (2026) across 1,440.0 km², or 3.9 people per km². It ranks 171 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,625 residents
- 1,440.0 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 537 m
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa, Balsfjord ranks No. 5 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 21.5% in Balsfjord, compared with an average of 37.2% in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 38.3% nationally.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.6% in Balsfjord, compared with an average of 0.6% in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 1.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 26.4% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 50° generates about 752 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 201,681 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Målselv, 37.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tromsø (79,943 residents), 40 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,008 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Balsfjord in numbers
All indicators for Balsfjord
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 | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.9 per 1,000 inh. | 3.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 133 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.1% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 125 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 16.8% | 18.0% | 18.7% | ranked 277 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 3,204 | 94,660 | 2,760,619 | ranked 167 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 10.2% | 8.3% | 16.4% | ranked 277 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 15.7% | 24.6% | 21.8% | ranked 252 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 94.5% | 75.9% | 89.9% | ranked 60 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 1.3% | 17.2% | 4.4% | ranked 274 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 217.8 per 1,000 inh. | 78.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 129 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 692 | 18,618 | 656,492 | ranked 182 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 123.0 per 1,000 inh. | 108.7 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 196 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 476,000 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 283 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 818 per 1,000 inh. | 23,737 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 190 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 145.4 per 1,000 inh. | 138.6 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 247 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 12.0 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 246 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 66.3% | 70.1% | 67.5% | ranked 214 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.9% | ranked 268 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 41,148 | – | 112,411 | ranked 78 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 655 per 1,000 inh. | 530 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 43 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 14.0% | 20.7% | 19.7% | ranked 269 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.2% | 16.1% | 15.2% | ranked 248 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.8 years | 82.8 | 82.8 | ranked 151 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Balsfjord | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 21.5% | 37.2% | 27.5% | ranked 329 of 351 |
Population of Balsfjord over time
Balsfjord had 5,701 residents in 2016 and 5,625 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,559 |
| 2022 | 5,576 |
| 2023 | 5,517 |
| 2024 | 5,571 |
| 2025 | 5,595 |
| 2026 | 5,625 |
Where is Balsfjord?
Business sectors: Balsfjord
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing26.4% ×2.6
- Construction15.4% ×1.4
- Health and social work9.1% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade7.0% ×0.6
- Real estate6.0% ×0.5
- Professional, scientific and technical5.9% ×0.5
- Transport and storage5.4% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Balsfjord
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Balsfjord?
Balsfjord has 5,625 residents (2026), ranking 171 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Balsfjord?
Balsfjord covers 1,440.0 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Balsfjord growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Balsfjord went from 5,701 to 5,625, a change of −1.3%.
Where is Balsfjord?
Balsfjord is in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa. Latitude 69.305, longitude 19.204.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Balsfjord?
In Balsfjord, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 21.5% (2025), ranking 329 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Balsfjord?
In Balsfjord, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.6% (2025), ranking 268 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Balsfjord?
In Balsfjord, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 50° produces about 752 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Balsfjord?
The nearest to Balsfjord are Målselv (37 km), Tromsø (40 km), Storfjord - Omasvuotna - Omasvuono (43 km), Sørreisa (46 km), Lyngen - Ivgu - Yykeä (55 km).