Karlsøy: population and statistics
Karlsøy has a population of 2,235 (2026) across 1,051.0 km², or 2.1 people per km². It ranks 271 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,235 residents
- 1,051.0 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 369 m
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa, Karlsøy ranks No. 13 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 18: 14.1% in Karlsøy, compared with an average of 18.0% in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 19.6% nationally.
Share with university or university college education: 21.6% in Karlsøy, compared with an average of 37.2% in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 38.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 51° generates about 772 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants under 18”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 147,199 football pitches.
- Its population density is 8.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Skjervøy, 46.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tromsø (79,943 residents), 56 km away.
Karlsøy in numbers
All indicators for Karlsøy
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 | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.7 per 1,000 inh. | 3.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 67 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 30.3% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 22 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 14.1% | 18.0% | 18.7% | ranked 337 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,444 | 94,660 | 2,760,619 | ranked 255 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 13.1% | 8.3% | 16.4% | ranked 240 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 18.6% | 24.6% | 21.8% | ranked 212 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 90.9% | 75.9% | 89.9% | ranked 150 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.9% | 17.2% | 4.4% | ranked 219 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 317.2 per 1,000 inh. | 78.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 96 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 367 | 18,618 | 656,492 | ranked 265 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 164.2 per 1,000 inh. | 108.7 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 103 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 463,700 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 307 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 438 per 1,000 inh. | 23,737 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 267 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 196.0 per 1,000 inh. | 138.6 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 108 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 8.1 per 1,000 inh. | 12.0 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 323 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 65.2% | 70.1% | 67.5% | ranked 249 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 | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 14,402 | – | 112,411 | ranked 88 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 571 per 1,000 inh. | 530 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 217 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 12.7% | 20.7% | 19.7% | ranked 291 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 18.8% | 16.1% | 15.2% | ranked 84 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Karlsøy | 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 | Karlsøy | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 21.6% | 37.2% | 27.5% | ranked 326 of 351 |
Population of Karlsøy over time
Karlsøy had 2,282 residents in 2016 and 2,235 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,172 |
| 2022 | 2,179 |
| 2023 | 2,171 |
| 2024 | 2,237 |
| 2025 | 2,223 |
| 2026 | 2,235 |
Where is Karlsøy?
Business sectors: Karlsøy
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing38.2% ×3.7
- Construction9.1% ×0.9
- Health and social work9.1% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade5.5% ×0.5
- Professional, scientific and technical5.0% ×0.4
- Transport and storage4.4% ×1.0
- Real estate4.2% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Karlsøy
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Karlsøy?
Karlsøy has 2,235 residents (2026), ranking 271 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Karlsøy?
Karlsøy covers 1,051.0 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Karlsøy growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Karlsøy went from 2,282 to 2,235, a change of −2.1%.
Where is Karlsøy?
Karlsøy is in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa. Latitude 70.130, longitude 19.431.
Share of inhabitants under 18: what is the figure for Karlsøy?
In Karlsøy, “Share of inhabitants under 18” stands at 14.1% (2026), ranking 337 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 18.7%.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Karlsøy?
In Karlsøy, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 21.6% (2025), ranking 326 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Karlsøy?
In Karlsøy, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 51° produces about 772 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Karlsøy?
The nearest to Karlsøy are Skjervøy (47 km), Lyngen - Ivgu - Yykeä (55 km), Tromsø (56 km), Gáivuotna - Kåfjord - Kaivuono (72 km), Nordreisa - Ráisa - Raisi (73 km).