Gulen: population and statistics
Gulen has a population of 2,301 (2026) across 577.0 km², or 4.0 people per km². It ranks 264 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,301 residents
- 577.0 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 500 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Gulen ranks No. 34 by population.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.2% in Gulen, compared with an average of 1.0% in Vestland and 1.2% nationally.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: 19.1 per 1,000 inh. in Gulen, compared with an average of 2.6 per 1,000 inh. in Vestland and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 29.1% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 737 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 80,812 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Solund, 15.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Alver (30,285 residents), 41 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,948 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Gulen in numbers
All indicators for Gulen
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 | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 25 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.8% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 134 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.3% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 253 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,333 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 265 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.3% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 64 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.5% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 160 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 91.7% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 126 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 1.7% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 258 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 426.8 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 67 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 450 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 234 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 195.6 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 54 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 520,000 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 101 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 533 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 240 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 231.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 52 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.9 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 77 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 72.4% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 30 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 346 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 597 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 155 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 17.6% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 215 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 17.4% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 120 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Gulen | 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 | Gulen | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 27.4% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 181 of 351 |
Population of Gulen over time
Gulen had 2,370 residents in 2016 and 2,301 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,272 |
| 2022 | 2,230 |
| 2023 | 2,228 |
| 2024 | 2,234 |
| 2025 | 2,260 |
| 2026 | 2,301 |
Where is Gulen?
Business sectors: Gulen
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing29.1% ×2.8
- Construction12.2% ×1.1
- Health and social work8.4% ×0.9
- Transport and storage6.8% ×1.5
- Real estate6.5% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical5.9% ×0.5
- Manufacturing5.0% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade4.1% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Gulen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gulen?
Gulen has 2,301 residents (2026), ranking 264 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Gulen?
Gulen covers 577.0 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Gulen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Gulen went from 2,370 to 2,301, a change of −2.9%.
Where is Gulen?
Gulen is in Vestland. Latitude 61.024, longitude 5.119.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Gulen?
In Gulen, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.2% (2025), ranking 346 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Gulen?
In Gulen, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 19.1 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 25 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Gulen?
In Gulen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 737 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Gulen?
The nearest to Gulen are Solund (15 km), Hyllestad (19 km), Masfjorden (27 km), Austrheim (30 km), Fedje (35 km).