Stord: population and statistics
Stord has a population of 19,276 (2026) across 137.0 km², or 141 people per km². It ranks 70 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 19,276 residents
- 137.0 km²
- 141 people/km²
- 41 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Stord ranks No. 7 by population.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: 0.3% in Stord, compared with an average of 1.0% in Vestland and 1.2% nationally.
Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants: 16.9 per 1,000 inh. in Stord, compared with an average of 65.4 per 1,000 inh. in Vestland and 80.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 13.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 845 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,188 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Fitjar, 13.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Haugesund (38,663 residents), 46 km away.
Stord in numbers
All indicators for Stord
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 | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −6.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 319 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 19.1% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 291 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 21.9% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 36 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 9,750 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 64 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 7.1% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 307 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 27.6% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 97 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 79.0% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 287 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 14.8% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 62 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 16.9 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 328 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,758 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 81 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 91.2 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 326 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 554,800 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 27 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 2,334 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 80 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 121.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 325 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.1 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 210 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 71.3% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 51 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.3% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 334 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 506 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 314 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 35.3% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 34 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 15.8% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 163 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Stord | 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 | Stord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 34.0% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 54 of 351 |
Population of Stord over time
Stord had 18,775 residents in 2016 and 19,276 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,861 |
| 2022 | 18,919 |
| 2023 | 19,098 |
| 2024 | 19,287 |
| 2025 | 19,350 |
| 2026 | 19,276 |
Where is Stord?
Business sectors: Stord
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate13.8% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical12.8% ×1.1
- Construction11.7% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade11.6% ×1.0
- Health and social work9.8% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.8% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services4.8% ×1.1
- Other service activities4.3% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Stord
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Stord?
Stord has 19,276 residents (2026), ranking 70 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Stord?
Stord covers 137.0 km², with a density of 141 people per km².
Is the population of Stord growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Stord went from 18,775 to 19,276, a change of +2.7%.
Where is Stord?
Stord is in Vestland. Latitude 59.808, longitude 5.466.
Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Stord?
In Stord, “Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74” stands at 0.3% (2025), ranking 334 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 0.9%.
Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Stord?
In Stord, “Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 16.9 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 328 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 153.1 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Stord?
In Stord, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 845 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Stord?
The nearest to Stord are Fitjar (13 km), Bømlo (14 km), Tysnes (22 km), Sveio (27 km), Austevoll (28 km).