Lærdal: population and statistics
Lærdal has a population of 2,223 (2026) across 1,275.0 km², or 1.7 people per km². It ranks 272 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,223 residents
- 1,275.0 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 95 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Lærdal ranks No. 35 by population.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.4% in Lærdal, compared with an average of 1.0% in Vestland and 1.2% nationally.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 8.5 per 1,000 inh. in Lærdal, compared with an average of 13.1 per 1,000 inh. in Vestland and 13.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 27.6% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 32° generates about 669 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 178,571 football pitches.
- Its population density is 10.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Aurland, 28.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Årdal (5,178 residents), 29 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,676 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Lærdal in numbers
All indicators for Lærdal
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 | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 12.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 45 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 26.2% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 96 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.8% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 166 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,358 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 262 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 25.6% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 39 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 22.4% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 161 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 91.5% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 135 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 2.5% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 233 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 225.8 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 124 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 394 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 255 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 177.2 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 83 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 522,500 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 91 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 444 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 266 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 199.7 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 102 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 8.5 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 314 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 70.9% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 61 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.4% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 323 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 99,200 | – | 112,411 | ranked 59 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 601 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 142 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 18.7% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 195 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 17.6% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 115 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Lærdal | 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 | Lærdal | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 31.4% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 84 of 351 |
Population of Lærdal over time
Lærdal had 2,172 residents in 2016 and 2,223 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,129 |
| 2022 | 2,117 |
| 2023 | 2,129 |
| 2024 | 2,160 |
| 2025 | 2,188 |
| 2026 | 2,223 |
Where is Lærdal?
Business sectors: Lærdal
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing27.6% ×2.7
- Real estate11.8% ×1.1
- Construction10.0% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.9% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade7.4% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical6.4% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services4.9% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services4.3% ×1.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Lærdal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lærdal?
Lærdal has 2,223 residents (2026), ranking 272 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Lærdal?
Lærdal covers 1,275.0 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Lærdal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lærdal went from 2,172 to 2,223, a change of +2.3%.
Where is Lærdal?
Lærdal is in Vestland. Latitude 61.051, longitude 7.598.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Lærdal?
In Lærdal, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.4% (2025), ranking 323 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Lærdal?
In Lærdal, “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 8.5 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 314 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 11.9 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lærdal?
In Lærdal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 32° produces about 669 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lærdal?
The nearest to Lærdal are Aurland (29 km), Årdal (29 km), Sogndal (33 km), Luster (51 km), Vang (52 km).