Årdal: population and statistics
Årdal has a population of 5,178 (2026) across 930.0 km², or 5.6 people per km². It ranks 181 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −3.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,178 residents
- 930.0 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 1,260 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Årdal ranks No. 22 by population.
Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 73.2 per 1,000 inh. in Årdal, compared with an average of 111.3 per 1,000 inh. in Vestland and 116.7 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: 8.9% in Årdal, compared with an average of 26.5% in Vestland and 27.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 13.7% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 802 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Vestland for “Elevation”.
- “Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 130,252 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Lærdal, 28.8 km away.
Årdal in numbers
All indicators for Årdal
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 | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −2.7 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 290 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.4% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 115 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.5% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 245 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 2,922 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 181 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 5.6% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 318 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 8.9% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 333 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 74.9% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 320 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 19.0% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 38 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 104.1 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 224 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 379 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 262 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 73.2 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 351 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 554,300 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 29 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 408 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 274 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 78.8 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 351 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 7.7 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 331 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 65.9% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 232 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.5% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 25 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 591 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 174 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 24.2% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 115 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.8% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 229 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 83.7 years | 83.7 | 82.8 | ranked 22 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Årdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 26.1% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 217 of 351 |
Population of Årdal over time
Årdal had 5,359 residents in 2016 and 5,178 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,170 |
| 2022 | 5,204 |
| 2023 | 5,172 |
| 2024 | 5,239 |
| 2025 | 5,213 |
| 2026 | 5,178 |
Where is Årdal?
Business sectors: Årdal
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work13.7% ×1.4
- Real estate12.9% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade9.7% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical9.7% ×0.8
- Construction8.3% ×0.8
- Manufacturing6.5% ×1.9
- Education6.2% ×1.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.4% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Årdal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Årdal?
Årdal has 5,178 residents (2026), ranking 181 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Årdal?
Årdal covers 930.0 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Årdal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Årdal went from 5,359 to 5,178, a change of −3.4%.
Where is Årdal?
Årdal is in Vestland. Latitude 61.291, longitude 7.798.
Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Årdal?
In Årdal, “Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 73.2 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 351 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 129.8 per 1,000 inh..
Share of dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Årdal?
In Årdal, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 8.9% (2026), ranking 333 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 21.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Årdal?
In Årdal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 802 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Årdal?
The nearest to Årdal are Lærdal (29 km), Luster (34 km), Sogndal (38 km), Vang (39 km), Aurland (55 km).