Tromsø: population and statistics
Tromsø has a population of 79,943 (2026) across 2,472.0 km², or 32.3 people per km². It ranks 12 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 79,943 residents
- 2,472.0 km²
- 32 people/km²
- 0 m
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa, Tromsø ranks No. 1 by population.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: 447 per 1,000 inh. in Tromsø, compared with an average of 530 per 1,000 inh. in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa and 505 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 12.6% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 48° generates about 732 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa for “Population change over 10 years”.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 346,218 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Balsfjord, 39.5 km away.
Tromsø in numbers
All indicators for Tromsø
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 | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 3.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 220 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 16.0% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 336 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.4% | 18.0% | 18.7% | ranked 193 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 42,367 | 94,660 | 2,760,619 | ranked 8 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 5.7% | 8.3% | 16.4% | ranked 317 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 32.9% | 24.6% | 21.8% | ranked 56 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 62.8% | 75.9% | 89.9% | ranked 340 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 29.6% | 17.2% | 4.4% | ranked 12 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 23.2 per 1,000 inh. | 78.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 315 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 8,211 | 18,618 | 656,492 | ranked 12 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 102.7 per 1,000 inh. | 108.7 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 285 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 566,800 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 11 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 11,067 per 1,000 inh. | 23,737 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 12 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 138.4 per 1,000 inh. | 138.6 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 274 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.2 per 1,000 inh. | 12.0 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 103 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 73.5% | 70.1% | 67.5% | ranked 11 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | ranked 238 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 1,306,969 | – | 112,411 | ranked 5 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 447 per 1,000 inh. | 530 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 343 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 25.0% | 20.7% | 19.7% | ranked 102 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 18.7% | 16.1% | 15.2% | ranked 86 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Tromsø | 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 | Tromsø | Troms - Romsa - Tromssa | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 46.9% | 37.2% | 27.5% | ranked 7 of 351 |
Population of Tromsø over time
Tromsø had 73,480 residents in 2016 and 79,943 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 77,095 |
| 2022 | 77,544 |
| 2023 | 77,992 |
| 2024 | 78,745 |
| 2025 | 79,421 |
| 2026 | 79,943 |
Where is Tromsø?
Business sectors: Tromsø
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work12.6% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical11.0% ×0.9
- Real estate10.7% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade10.3% ×0.9
- Construction9.3% ×0.9
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.9% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.5
- Transport and storage5.9% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Tromsø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Tromsø?
Tromsø has 79,943 residents (2026), ranking 12 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Tromsø?
Tromsø covers 2,472.0 km², with a density of 32 people per km².
Is the population of Tromsø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Tromsø went from 73,480 to 79,943, a change of +8.8%.
Where is Tromsø?
Tromsø is in Troms - Romsa - Tromssa. Latitude 69.650, longitude 18.957.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Tromsø?
In Tromsø, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 42,367 (2026), ranking 8 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Tromsø?
In Tromsø, “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 447 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 343 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 591 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Tromsø?
In Tromsø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 48° produces about 732 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Tromsø?
The nearest to Tromsø are Balsfjord (40 km), Lyngen - Ivgu - Yykeä (44 km), Karlsøy (56 km), Gáivuotna - Kåfjord - Kaivuono (61 km), Storfjord - Omasvuotna - Omasvuono (66 km).