Målselv: population and statistics
Målselv has a population of 6,819 (2026) across 3,203.0 km², or 2.1 people per km². It ranks 148 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 6,819 residents
- 3,203.0 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 500 m
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa, Målselv ranks No. 4 by population.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: 664 per 1,000 inh. in Målselv, compared with an average of 530 per 1,000 inh. in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 505 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses: 75.7% in Målselv, compared with an average of 75.9% in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 67.9% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 16.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 753 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 448,599 football pitches.
- Its population density is 8.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Bardu, 31.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tromsø (79,943 residents), 75 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,012 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Målselv in numbers
All indicators for Målselv
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 | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.4 per 1,000 inh. | 3.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 146 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.5% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 250 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.0% | 18.0% | 18.7% | ranked 221 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 4,591 | 94,660 | 2,760,619 | ranked 123 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 7.0% | 8.3% | 16.4% | ranked 308 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 27.9% | 24.6% | 21.8% | ranked 93 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 75.7% | 75.9% | 89.9% | ranked 314 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 6.8% | 17.2% | 4.4% | ranked 125 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 147.8 per 1,000 inh. | 78.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 183 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 738 | 18,618 | 656,492 | ranked 175 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 108.2 per 1,000 inh. | 108.7 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 263 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 536,300 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 52 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 858 per 1,000 inh. | 23,737 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 187 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 125.8 per 1,000 inh. | 138.6 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 312 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.4 per 1,000 inh. | 12.0 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 285 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 70.8% | 70.1% | 67.5% | ranked 64 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.9% | ranked 268 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 664 per 1,000 inh. | 530 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 33 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 | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 12.1% | 16.1% | 15.2% | ranked 283 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Målselv | 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 | Målselv | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 28.6% | 37.2% | 27.5% | ranked 144 of 351 |
Population of Målselv over time
Målselv had 6,741 residents in 2016 and 6,819 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,609 |
| 2022 | 6,599 |
| 2023 | 6,782 |
| 2024 | 6,714 |
| 2025 | 6,794 |
| 2026 | 6,819 |
Where is Målselv?
Business sectors: Målselv
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.2% ×1.6
- Construction10.8% ×1.0
- Health and social work10.7% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade8.5% ×0.8
- Real estate8.5% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical7.7% ×0.7
- Education5.9% ×1.7
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.9% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Målselv
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Målselv?
Målselv has 6,819 residents (2026), ranking 148 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Målselv?
Målselv covers 3,203.0 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Målselv growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Målselv went from 6,741 to 6,819, a change of +1.2%.
Where is Målselv?
Målselv is in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa. Latitude 68.975, longitude 19.064.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Målselv?
In Målselv, “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 664 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 33 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 591 per 1,000 inh..
Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses: what is the figure for Målselv?
In Målselv, “Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses” stands at 75.7% (2026), ranking 314 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 89.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Målselv?
In Målselv, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 753 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Målselv?
The nearest to Målselv are Bardu (31 km), Sørreisa (37 km), Balsfjord (37 km), Salangen (48 km), Dyrøy (54 km).