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Living in Sør-Varanger

There were 3.97 doctors per 1,000 people in 2024. Car density was 442 vehicles per 1,000 residents at the end of 2025. The unemployment rate was 1.7% in June 2026. For Sør-Varanger, the foreign population was 1,935 at the start of 2026. There were 400.3 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2024.

Which Norway-wide rules apply when you move to Sør-Varanger?

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 Sør-Varanger.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Sør-Varanger yet. Norway has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Dwellings Count4,521 dwellings31 Dec 2025Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)8Official

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Sør-Varanger?

The unemployment rate is 1.7 % (June 2026). Source: NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 20265

Unemployment across cities in NorwayUnemployment in Sør-Varanger is 1.7%. Of 176 cities with data, 59 have unemployment of 1.5 to under 2%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Norway per band4 cities: 0.5% to under 1%40.5–152 cities: 1% to under 1.5%521–1.559 cities: 1.5% to under 2%591.5–2Sør-Varanger 1.7%48 cities: 2% to under 2.5%482–2.510 cities: 2.5% to under 3%102.5–33 cities: 3% to under 3.5%33–3.5

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)4,574 EUR/month31 Dec 2025data.ssb.no1Official
Unemployment rate1.7 %country median 1.7% — about the same30 Jun 2026NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 20265Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Sør-Varanger. 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 Sør-Varanger. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
International schools4 schools31 Dec 2025Utdanningsdirektoratet14Independent · fylke observation

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Doctors per 1,000 residents3.97 per 1,00031 Dec 2024Helsedirektoratet10Independent · fylke observation
Physicians per 100,000 residents400.3 per 100,00031 Dec 2024Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)13Independent · fylke observation

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Sør-Varanger 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 residents3.97 per 1,000Verified 2026-06-12
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Sør-Varanger?

Police recorded 6,000 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 citiesSør-Varanger highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Sør-Varanger highlighted8,790Oslo8,170Kristiansand6,890Trondheim6,870Drammen6,540Stavanger6,280Fredrikstad6,140Sandefjord6,000Sør-Varanger5,790Lillestrøm5,270Sandnes5,170Bærum4,500Askerrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents6,000 incidents per 100,000country median 4,45531 Dec 2024data.ssb.no2Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Sør-Varanger. 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 Sør-Varanger.

Climate and air quality

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average January temperature-1.53 °C28 Aug 2026MET Norway (Meteorologisk institutt)4Official · nearest-station reading

Cities of a similar size in Norway

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Norway cities
Farsund9,949 residentsNærøysund9,920 residentsVågan9,905 residentsIndre Fosen10,006 residentsSula9,798 residentsFauske9,707 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 3,971 km² in 2026. Population density was 3 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Sør-Varanger?

The published population was 9,947 people in 2026. Source: SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.7

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Sør-Varanger residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport80.5%Foreign residents19.5%

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area3,995 km²1 Jan 2026Kartverket3Official · kommune observation
Cars per 1,000 residents442 per 1,00031 Dec 2025Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)12Independent · fylke observation
City area3,971 km²1 Jan 2026SSB 11342 ArealKm27Official
Foreign residents1,935 people1 Jan 2026SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons6Official
Population density3 people/km²1 Jan 2026SSB 11342 ArealKm27Official
Population9,947 people1 Jan 2026SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.7Official

International community in Sør-Varanger

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

Ancestry or ethnicity

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Total1,74117.5%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions1,19212.0%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand5495.5%
Russia4024.0%
Ukraine2902.9%
Finland1151.2%
Philippines720.7%
Thailand690.7%
Germany640.6%
Syria570.6%
Estonia560.6%
Show 65 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Latvia430.4%
Sweden390.4%
Poland390.4%
Serbia330.3%
Afghanistan300.3%
Lithuania270.3%
Denmark260.3%
Congo230.2%
Eritrea190.2%
Netherlands180.2%
Spain180.2%
Hungary170.2%
Bosnia-Herzegovina160.2%
Sudan150.1%
Bulgaria140.1%
United Kingdom130.1%
Iraq120.1%
Sri Lanka110.1%
Colombia100.1%
Uganda90.1%
China80.1%
Romania70.1%
Türkiye70.1%
Lebanon70.1%
United States70.1%
France60.1%
Croatia60.1%
Italy50.1%
Portugal50.1%
Ethiopia50.1%
Somalia50.1%
Nepal50.1%
Argentina50.1%
Venezuela50.1%
Slovakia40.0%
Algeria40.0%
South Sudan40.0%
Azerbaijan40.0%
Jordan40.0%
Brazil40.0%
Greenland30.0%
Iceland30.0%
Greece30.0%
Ireland30.0%
Moldova30.0%
Austria30.0%
Czech Republic30.0%
Kenya30.0%
Congo-Brazzaville30.0%
Libya30.0%
Morocco30.0%
Rwanda30.0%
South Africa30.0%
Zambia30.0%
Georgia30.0%
Hong Kong30.0%
Iran30.0%
Cambodia30.0%
Kazakhstan30.0%
Kyrgyzstan30.0%
Palestine30.0%
Dominican Republic30.0%
Chile30.0%
Ecuador30.0%
Peru30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source6

Ancestry or ethnicity

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Total1941.9%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions1441.4%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand500.5%
Russia400.4%
Philippines170.2%
Iraq140.1%
Sri Lanka90.1%
Finland80.1%
Estonia80.1%
Sudan80.1%
Germany70.1%
Show 20 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Latvia60.1%
Poland60.1%
Lithuania60.1%
Congo60.1%
Ukraine50.1%
Bosnia-Herzegovina50.1%
Eritrea50.1%
Morocco50.1%
Somalia50.1%
Syria50.1%
Croatia30.0%
Romania30.0%
Hungary30.0%
Serbia30.0%
Algeria30.0%
Ethiopia30.0%
Afghanistan30.0%
India30.0%
Uzbekistan30.0%
Brazil30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source6

Ancestry or ethnicity

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Total1,93519.4%
Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions1,33613.4%
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand5996.0%
Russia4424.4%
Ukraine2953.0%
Finland1231.2%
Philippines890.9%
Germany710.7%
Thailand700.7%
Estonia640.6%
Syria620.6%
Show 67 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Latvia490.5%
Poland450.5%
Sweden400.4%
Serbia350.3%
Lithuania330.3%
Afghanistan320.3%
Congo290.3%
Denmark270.3%
Iraq260.3%
Eritrea240.2%
Sudan230.2%
Bosnia-Herzegovina210.2%
Sri Lanka200.2%
Netherlands190.2%
Spain180.2%
Hungary180.2%
Bulgaria140.1%
United Kingdom140.1%
Somalia100.1%
Colombia100.1%
Romania90.1%
Uganda90.1%
Croatia80.1%
Morocco80.1%
China80.1%
Türkiye70.1%
Ethiopia70.1%
Lebanon70.1%
Nepal70.1%
United States70.1%
France60.1%
Algeria60.1%
Brazil60.1%
Italy50.1%
Portugal50.1%
Azerbaijan50.1%
Argentina50.1%
Venezuela50.1%
Slovakia40.0%
Rwanda40.0%
South Sudan40.0%
Jordan40.0%
Belgium30.0%
Greece30.0%
Belarus30.0%
Ireland30.0%
Moldova30.0%
Austria30.0%
Czech Republic30.0%
Kenya30.0%
Libya30.0%
South Africa30.0%
Zambia30.0%
Bangladesh30.0%
India30.0%
Iran30.0%
Japan30.0%
Cambodia30.0%
Kazakhstan30.0%
Kyrgyzstan30.0%
Palestine30.0%
Uzbekistan30.0%
Honduras30.0%
Chile30.0%
Ecuador30.0%
Peru30.0%
New Zealand30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source6

Is Sør-Varanger 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 worker64%strong on work, weak on housing · range 54–74%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on housing · range 54–74%
Student54%strong on education, weak on housing · range 43–65%
Family56%strong on family, weak on housing · range 46–66%
Retirement53%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 41–65%
Foreign residents1,935 people1 Jan 2026Official source · SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons
Population9,947 people1 Jan 2026Official source · SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year.
Median gross salary (regional)4,574 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · data.ssb.no
Unemployment rate1.7 %30 Jun 2026Official source · NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026
Average January temperature-1.53 °C28 Aug 2026Official source · MET Norway (Meteorologisk institutt)
Area3,995 km²1 Jan 2026Official source · Kartverket
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-03

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Registered Cars Count6,060 vehicles31 Dec 2025Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB)12Official
Universities3 institutions31 Dec 2025HK-dir (DBH)11Independent · fylke observation

Common questions

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

How many people live in Sør-Varanger?

The published population was 9,947 people in 2026. Source: SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year..

How safe is Sør-Varanger?

Police recorded 6,000 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 Sør-Varanger?

The unemployment rate is 1.7 % (June 2026). Source: NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026.

What is the typical salary around Sør-Varanger?

The median gross salary is 4,574 EUR/month. Source: data.ssb.no.

How many foreign residents live in Sør-Varanger?

1,935 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons.

Is Sør-Varanger a good place to live?

Sør-Varanger 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 Denmark ancestry or ethnicity group in Sør-Varanger?

The official ancestry or ethnicity distribution records 26 people (0.3%) 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, September 12). Sør-Varanger, Norway: salary, jobs, safety [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/sor-varanger/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_s-r-varanger-norway-salary-jobs-safety_cacc8118cb8d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Sør-Varanger, Norway: salary, jobs, safety},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/sor-varanger/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Sør-Varanger, Norway: salary, jobs, safety](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/no/sor-varanger/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

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
  1. data.ssb.no data.ssb.no · checked 2026-08-27
  2. data.ssb.no data.ssb.no · checked 2026-08-27
  3. Kartverket kartverket.no · checked 2026-07-14
  4. MET Norway (Meteorologisk institutt) frost.met.no · checked 2026-06-12
  5. NAV HL301 — fully unemployed by county and municipality, June 2026 NAV HL301 · nav.no · checked 2026-07-26
  6. SSB 09817 B-C / country background Total / Persons data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-15
  7. SSB table 11342: municipality population/area by region and year. data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
  8. Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-06-12
  9. Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-06-12
  10. Helsedirektoratet helsedirektoratet.no · checked 2026-07-14
Show 4 more sources
  1. HK-dir (DBH) dbh.hkdir.no · checked 2026-07-14
  2. Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) data.ssb.no · checked 2026-07-14
  4. Utdanningsdirektoratet udir.no · checked 2026-07-14

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.