Bergen: population and statistics
Bergen has a population of 294,860 (2026) across 445.0 km², or 663 people per km². It ranks 2 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 294,860 residents
- 445.0 km²
- 663 people/km²
- 7 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Bergen ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 14.5% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 723 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Vestland for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Vestland for “Population density”.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 62,325 football pitches.
- Its population density is 35.8 times the national average.
Bergen in numbers
All indicators for Bergen
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 | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 248 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 17.1% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 325 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.6% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 180 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 148,209 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 2 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 20.2% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 111 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 21.8% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 173 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 49.0% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 348 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 46.8% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 3 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.5 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 346 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 30,344 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 2 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 102.9 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 284 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 549,500 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 35 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 44,795 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 2 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 151.9 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 14.1 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 72 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 70.6% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 73 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 72 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 3,067,894 | – | 112,411 | ranked 2 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 406 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 350 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 49.0% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 2 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 20.7% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 61 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Bergen | 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 | Bergen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 46.8% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 9 of 351 |
Population of Bergen over time
Bergen had 277,391 residents in 2016 and 294,860 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 285,601 |
| 2022 | 286,930 |
| 2023 | 289,330 |
| 2024 | 291,940 |
| 2025 | 293,709 |
| 2026 | 294,860 |
Where is Bergen?
Business sectors: Bergen
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical14.5% ×1.2
- Real estate13.1% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade11.7% ×1.0
- Health and social work11.4% ×1.2
- Construction8.4% ×0.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation7.1% ×1.3
- Information and communication6.0% ×1.3
- Transport and storage5.5% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Bergen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bergen?
Bergen has 294,860 residents (2026), ranking 2 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Bergen?
Bergen covers 445.0 km², with a density of 663 people per km².
Is the population of Bergen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bergen went from 277,391 to 294,860, a change of +6.3%.
Where is Bergen?
Bergen is in Vestland. Latitude 60.392, longitude 5.323.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Bergen?
In Bergen, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 148,209 (2026), ranking 2 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Establishments: what is the figure for Bergen?
In Bergen, “Establishments” stands at 30,344 (2026), ranking 2 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 709.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bergen?
In Bergen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 723 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bergen?
The nearest to Bergen are Askøy (13 km), Osterøy (18 km), Øygarden (18 km), Samnanger (27 km), Bjørnafjorden (30 km).