Living in Balsfjord

In Balsfjord, unemployment is 1.5% (2026).

Car density was 460 vehicles per 1,000 residents at the end of 2025. There were 380 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2024. There were 3.5 doctors per 1,000 people in 2024. The unemployment rate was 1.5% in June 2026.

Last checked 2026-09-1917 sources

Population5,625people1 Jan 2026Official source · SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.

Median gross salary (region)4,393EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · data.ssb.no

Unemployment rate1.5%country median 1.7% — 12% belowOfficial source · NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026

Recorded crime7,880incidents per 100,000country median 4,460 — 77% aboveOfficial source · data.ssb.no

Lower unemployment than 68% of Norwegian cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 95% of Norwegian cities that publish it.

Which Norway-wide rules apply when you move to Balsfjord?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in NorwayNational rates and thresholds that apply in Balsfjord.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Balsfjord. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€83

Mobile plan, 10 GB€28

Net rent across major citiesBalsfjord highlighted among comparable cities

net rent, € / m² / month

Trondheim€21.79

Bergen€20.40

Stavanger€19.55

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	83.29 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Telenor fixed broadband¹¹Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	27.7 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	ice 18GB mobile plan³Official · national market
Dwellings	2,557 dwellings	31 Dec 2025	Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)⁹Official

Is Balsfjord a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker62%strong on work, weak on housing · range 52–72%

Skilled employee67%strong on work, weak on housing · range 57–77%

Student41%strong on cost, weak on housing · range 30–52%

Family49%strong on family, weak on housing · range 39–59%

Retirement39%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 27–51%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Balsfjord?

The unemployment rate is 1.5 % (June 2026). Source: NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026⁶

Unemployment across cities in NorwayUnemployment in Balsfjord is 1.5%. Of 177 cities with data, 60 have unemployment of 1.5 to under 2%.

0.5–11–1.51.5–22–2.52.5–33–3.5

Balsfjord 1.5%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary (regional)	4,393 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	data.ssb.no¹Official
Unemployment rate	1.5 %country median 1.7%	30 Jun 2026	NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026⁶Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Balsfjord. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

NAV employment service — Public employment service

Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV)

Job Search

Search jobs

Open the Norway service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Balsfjord. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
International schools	2 schools	31 Dec 2025	Utdanningsdirektoratet¹⁷Independent · fylke observation

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: særskilt norskopplæring (adapted Norwegian language education). How to enrol a child (regjeringen.no).

A country-wide rule for Norway; Balsfjord's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Doctors per 1,000 residents	3.5 per 1,000	31 Dec 2024	Helsedirektoratet¹³Independent · fylke observation
Physicians per 100,000 residents	380 per 100,000	31 Dec 2024	Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)¹⁶Independent · fylke observation

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Balsfjord when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Doctors per 1,000 residents3.5 per 1,000Verified 2026-06-12

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Balsfjord?

Police recorded 7,880 incidents per 100,000 (2024-2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: data.ssb.no²

Recorded crime across major citiesBalsfjord highlighted among comparable cities

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Oslo8,790

Kristiansand8,170

Balsfjord7,880

Trondheim6,890

Drammen6,870

Stavanger6,540

Bergen6,410

Fredrikstad6,280

Lillestrøm5,790

Sandnes5,270

Bærum5,170

Asker4,500

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	7,880 incidents per 100,000country median 4,460	31 Dec 2024	data.ssb.no²Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Balsfjord. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Approved providers for Norwegian and social studies training — State Language Course

Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir)

For adult immigrants needing Norwegian and social studies training.

Norwegian

Open official information

Norwegian municipal introduction programme — Integration course

Municipalities under the national IMDi framework

For adult refugees and other eligible immigrants.

NorwegianIn Person

Open official information

Open the full Norway section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Balsfjord.

Find courses near Balsfjord

Climate and air quality

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

JFMAMJJASOND

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average January temperature	-3.5 °C	28 Aug 2026	MET Norway (Meteorologisk institutt)⁵Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 90.1 · Feb 74.4 · Mar 76.1 · Apr 51.1 · May 46.1 · Jun 52 · Jul 67.1 · Aug 69.9 · Sep 82.9 · Oct 90.1 · Nov 68.2 · Dec 92.5 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station STORSTEINNES_I_BALSFJORD¹²Official · nearest-station reading

Population and city profile

The city covered 1,497 km² in 2026. Population density was 4 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Balsfjord?

The published population was 5,625 people in 2026. Source: SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.⁸

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport86.8%
Foreign residents13.2%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Area	1,509 km²	1 Jan 2026	Kartverket⁴Official · kommune observation
Cars per 1,000 residents	460 per 1,000	31 Dec 2025	Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)¹⁵Independent · fylke observation
City area	1,497 km²	1 Jan 2026	SSB 11342 ArealKm2⁸Official
Foreign residents	741 people	1 Jan 2026	SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons⁷Official
Population density	4 people/km²	1 Jan 2026	SSB 11342 ArealKm2⁸Official
Population	5,625 people	1 Jan 2026	SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.⁸Official

International community in Balsfjord

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Ancestry or ethnicity

Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents; official SSB table 09817; reference date 1 January 2026 · 2026-01-01

Published group	People	Share
Total	741	13.2%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions	391	7.0%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand	350	6.2%
Ukraine	178	3.2%
Poland	93	1.7%
Germany	55	1.0%
Russia	49	0.9%
Thailand	44	0.8%
Lithuania	32	0.6%
Sweden	24	0.4%
Latvia	22	0.4%

Show 42 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Philippines	21	0.4%
Syria	14	0.3%
Denmark	13	0.2%
Finland	13	0.2%
Eritrea	13	0.2%
United Kingdom	10	0.2%
Netherlands	9	0.2%
United States	9	0.2%
Iceland	8	0.1%
Czech Republic	8	0.1%
Estonia	7	0.1%
Spain	7	0.1%
Afghanistan	7	0.1%
France	6	0.1%
Slovakia	6	0.1%
Belgium	5	0.1%
Ethiopia	5	0.1%
Sudan	5	0.1%
Argentina	5	0.1%
Bulgaria	4	0.1%
Moldova	4	0.1%
Austria	4	0.1%
Lebanon	4	0.1%
Colombia	4	0.1%
Belarus	3	0.0%
Italy	3	0.1%
Romania	3	0.1%
Switzerland	3	0.0%
Türkiye	3	0.1%
Hungary	3	0.1%
North Macedonia	3	0.0%
Serbia	3	0.0%
Kenya	3	0.0%
South Africa	3	0.0%
Japan	3	0.1%
Jordan	3	0.1%
Cambodia	3	0.1%
Kazakhstan	3	0.1%
Pakistan	3	0.1%
Vietnam	3	0.1%
Canada	3	0.0%
Brazil	3	0.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Ancestry or ethnicity

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents; official SSB table 09817; reference date 1 January 2026 · 2026-01-01

Published group	People	Share
Total	53	0.9%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand	37	0.7%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions	16	0.3%
Poland	9	0.2%
Germany	8	0.1%
Iceland	4	0.1%
Latvia	4	0.1%
Lithuania	4	0.1%
Ukraine	4	0.1%
Denmark	3	0.0%
Russia	3	0.1%

Show 5 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Austria	3	0.0%
Czech Republic	3	0.0%
Eritrea	3	0.1%
Japan	3	0.0%
Syria	3	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Ancestry or ethnicity

Immigrants; official SSB table 09817; reference date 1 January 2026 · 2026-01-01

Published group	People	Share
Total	688	12.2%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions	375	6.7%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand	313	5.6%
Ukraine	174	3.1%
Poland	84	1.5%
Germany	47	0.8%
Russia	46	0.8%
Thailand	44	0.8%
Lithuania	28	0.5%
Sweden	24	0.4%
Philippines	21	0.4%

Show 40 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Latvia	18	0.3%
Finland	13	0.2%
Syria	12	0.2%
Denmark	11	0.2%
United Kingdom	10	0.2%
Eritrea	10	0.2%
Netherlands	9	0.2%
United States	8	0.1%
Estonia	7	0.1%
Spain	7	0.1%
Afghanistan	7	0.1%
France	6	0.1%
Slovakia	6	0.1%
Czech Republic	6	0.1%
Belgium	5	0.1%
Sudan	5	0.1%
Argentina	5	0.1%
Iceland	4	0.1%
Bulgaria	4	0.1%
Moldova	4	0.1%
Ethiopia	4	0.1%
Lebanon	4	0.1%
Colombia	4	0.1%
Greece	3	0.0%
Italy	3	0.1%
Romania	3	0.0%
Switzerland	3	0.0%
Türkiye	3	0.1%
Hungary	3	0.1%
Austria	3	0.0%
North Macedonia	3	0.0%
Serbia	3	0.0%
South Africa	3	0.0%
Jordan	3	0.1%
Cambodia	3	0.1%
Kazakhstan	3	0.1%
Pakistan	3	0.0%
Vietnam	3	0.1%
Brazil	3	0.1%
New Zealand	3	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Registered cars	3,719 vehicles	31 Dec 2025	Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)¹⁵Official
Universities	2 institutions	31 Dec 2025	HK-dir (DBH)¹⁴Independent · fylke observation

Alternatives for people set on Balsfjord

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Bodø as a Balsfjord alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 300 km, better on 3 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Recorded crime, per 100k: 5,220 Bodø vs 7,880 Balsfjord−34%
Unemployment: 1.3% Bodø vs 1.5% Balsfjord−13%
Median gross pay, region: €4,792 Bodø vs €4,393 Balsfjord+9%

Full comparison More about Bodø

Alternative cities in Norway

Other cities in Norway to compare with Balsfjord, nearest in population first.

All Norway cities

Røros5,638 residents Søndre Land5,603 residents Hitra5,568 residents Austevoll5,515 residents Tinn5,515 residents Nord-Fron5,493 residents

How does Balsfjord compare?

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Put Balsfjord's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Balsfjord?

The published population was 5,625 people in 2026. Source: SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year..

How safe is Balsfjord?

Police recorded 7,880 incidents per 100,000 (2024-2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: data.ssb.no.

What is the unemployment rate in Balsfjord?

The unemployment rate is 1.5 % (June 2026). Source: NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026.

What is the typical salary around Balsfjord?

The median gross salary is 4,393 EUR/month. Source: data.ssb.no.

How many foreign residents live in Balsfjord?

741 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons.

Is Balsfjord a good place to live?

Balsfjord may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people are in the Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions ancestry or ethnicity group in Balsfjord?

The official ancestry or ethnicity distribution records 391 people (7.0%) in the source-defined population for 2026-01-01. This is a ancestry or ethnicity measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Balsfjord, Norway: population, salary, cost of living, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 9abf4a8d689a2293081a120287a13473]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/balsfjord/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_balsfjord-norway-population-salary-cost-of-living-jobs_4c0008fb0b71,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Balsfjord, Norway: population, salary, cost of living, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {9abf4a8d689a2293081a120287a13473},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/balsfjord/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Balsfjord, Norway: population, salary, cost of living, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/balsfjord/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 9abf4a8d689a2293081a120287a13473; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

data.ssb.no data.ssb.no · checked 2026-08-27
data.ssb.no data.ssb.no · checked 2026-08-27
ice 18GB mobile plan ice.no · checked 2026-09-15
Kartverket kartverket.no · checked 2026-07-14
MET Norway (Meteorologisk institutt) frost.met.no · checked 2026-06-12
NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026 NAV HL301 · nav.no · checked 2026-07-26
SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-15
SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year. data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-06-12
Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-06-12

Show 7 more sources

Telenor fixed broadband telenor.no · checked 2026-09-15
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station STORSTEINNES_I_BALSFJORD WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
Helsedirektoratet helsedirektoratet.no · checked 2026-07-14
HK-dir (DBH) dbh.hkdir.no · checked 2026-07-14
Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
Utdanningsdirektoratet udir.no · checked 2026-07-14

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