Melhus: population and statistics
Melhus has a population of 17,828 (2026) across 653.0 km², or 27.3 people per km². It ranks 74 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 17,828 residents
- 653.0 km²
- 27 people/km²
- 80 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Trøndelag - Trööndelage, Melhus ranks No. 6 by population.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: 37.8% in Melhus, compared with an average of 29.2% in Trøndelag - Trööndelage and 27.0% nationally.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 18.6% in Melhus, compared with an average of 19.6% in Trøndelag - Trööndelage and 19.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 21.2% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 739 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 91,457 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Skaun, 17.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Trondheim - Tråante (218,460 residents), 29 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,956 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Melhus in numbers
All indicators for Melhus
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 | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −0.3 per 1,000 inh. | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 263 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 18.6% | 19.6% | 23.7% | ranked 304 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 21.6% | 19.3% | 18.7% | ranked 49 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 8,075 | 252,603 | 2,760,619 | ranked 76 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 11.1% | 13.9% | 16.4% | ranked 264 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 37.8% | 29.2% | 21.8% | ranked 29 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 80.2% | 67.6% | 89.9% | ranked 277 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 11.3% | 25.7% | 4.4% | ranked 81 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 58.4 per 1,000 inh. | 105.8 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 276 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,965 | 55,147 | 656,492 | ranked 74 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 110.2 per 1,000 inh. | 112.7 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 256 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 529,600 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 68 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 2,711 per 1,000 inh. | 74,237 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 71 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 152.1 per 1,000 inh. | 151.7 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 219 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 12.8 per 1,000 inh. | 12.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 70.6% | 68.5% | 67.5% | ranked 73 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 129 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 583 per 1,000 inh. | 516 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 191 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 32.6% | 31.4% | 19.7% | ranked 46 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.0% | 15.7% | 15.2% | ranked 255 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 83.2 years | 83.2 | 82.8 | ranked 92 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Melhus | Trøndelag - Trööndelage | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 27.4% | 37.5% | 27.5% | ranked 181 of 351 |
Population of Melhus over time
Melhus had 16,096 residents in 2016 and 17,828 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,949 |
| 2022 | 17,123 |
| 2023 | 17,340 |
| 2024 | 17,560 |
| 2025 | 17,812 |
| 2026 | 17,828 |
Where is Melhus?
Business sectors: Melhus
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing21.2% ×2.1
- Construction16.1% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade10.6% ×0.9
- Real estate8.5% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical7.1% ×0.6
- Health and social work6.3% ×0.7
- Transport and storage5.2% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.5% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Melhus
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Melhus?
Melhus has 17,828 residents (2026), ranking 74 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Melhus?
Melhus covers 653.0 km², with a density of 27 people per km².
Is the population of Melhus growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Melhus went from 16,096 to 17,828, a change of +10.8%.
Where is Melhus?
Melhus is in Trøndelag - Trööndelage. Latitude 63.167, longitude 10.300.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Melhus?
In Melhus, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 37.8% (2026), ranking 29 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 21.8%.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Melhus?
In Melhus, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 18.6% (2026), ranking 304 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 23.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Melhus?
In Melhus, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 739 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Melhus?
The nearest to Melhus are Skaun (18 km), Orkland (27 km), Midtre Gauldal (29 km), Trondheim - Tråante (29 km), Malvik (32 km).