Sunnfjord: population and statistics
Sunnfjord has a population of 22,804 (2026) across 2,065.0 km², or 11.0 people per km². It ranks 56 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 22,804 residents
- 2,065.0 km²
- 11 people/km²
- 100 m
Key points
Among the 43 municipalities in Vestland, Sunnfjord ranks No. 6 by population.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: 74.1% in Sunnfjord, compared with an average of 70.3% in Vestland and 68.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 21.0% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 754 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Vestland for “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74”.
- “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 289,216 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Fjaler, 26.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ålesund (59,663 residents), 114 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,016 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Sunnfjord in numbers
All indicators for Sunnfjord
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 | Sunnfjord | 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 201 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 19.3% | 19.3% | 23.7% | ranked 289 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 21.8% | 20.0% | 18.7% | ranked 41 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 11,934 | 330,715 | 2,760,619 | ranked 51 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 8.0% | 16.7% | 16.4% | ranked 300 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 31.9% | 26.5% | 21.8% | ranked 64 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 81.7% | 70.1% | 89.9% | ranked 266 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 12.1% | 25.5% | 4.4% | ranked 77 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 55.6 per 1,000 inh. | 65.4 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 281 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 3,043 | 73,282 | 656,492 | ranked 41 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 133.4 per 1,000 inh. | 111.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 168 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 555,600 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 23 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 3,822 per 1,000 inh. | 101,284 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 46 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 167.6 per 1,000 inh. | 153.8 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 175 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.6 per 1,000 inh. | 13.1 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 239 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 74.1% | 70.3% | 67.5% | ranked 6 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.7% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 238 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 182,200 | – | 112,411 | ranked 35 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 567 per 1,000 inh. | 487 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 232 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 27.9% | 39.6% | 19.7% | ranked 76 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.6% | 17.3% | 15.2% | ranked 232 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Sunnfjord | 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 | Sunnfjord | Vestland | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 36.0% | 37.7% | 27.5% | ranked 41 of 351 |
Population of Sunnfjord over time
Sunnfjord had 21,702 residents in 2016 and 22,804 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,020 |
| 2022 | 22,116 |
| 2023 | 22,215 |
| 2024 | 22,450 |
| 2025 | 22,662 |
| 2026 | 22,804 |
Where is Sunnfjord?
Business sectors: Sunnfjord
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing21.0% ×2.0
- Construction12.6% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade11.9% ×1.1
- Real estate9.7% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical9.0% ×0.8
- Health and social work8.5% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services4.1% ×0.9
- Education3.2% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Sunnfjord
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sunnfjord?
Sunnfjord has 22,804 residents (2026), ranking 56 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Sunnfjord?
Sunnfjord covers 2,065.0 km², with a density of 11 people per km².
Is the population of Sunnfjord growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Sunnfjord went from 21,702 to 22,804, a change of +5.1%.
Where is Sunnfjord?
Sunnfjord is in Vestland. Latitude 61.452, longitude 5.857.
Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74: what is the figure for Sunnfjord?
In Sunnfjord, “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74” stands at 74.1% (2025), ranking 6 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 67.5%.
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Sunnfjord?
In Sunnfjord, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 555,600 NOK (2024), ranking 23 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sunnfjord?
In Sunnfjord, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 754 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sunnfjord?
The nearest to Sunnfjord are Fjaler (27 km), Høyanger (29 km), Askvoll (33 km), Gloppen (36 km), Hyllestad (43 km).