Income and wealth statistics for households

Updated: 21 December 2022

Next update: 19 December 2023

Change in median income after tax for all households
Change in median income after tax for all households
2020 - 2021
0.5
%
Income after tax for households by type of household, Median
Income after tax for households by type of household, Median1
After tax median incomePercentage change2
20212020 - 20212016 - 2021
All households566 3000.51.6
Singles under 45 years342 6000.97.0
Singles 45-64 years368 5000.12.4
Singles 65 years and older296 300-0.42.2
Couples without children, oldest person under 45 years706 2000.87.4
Couples without children, oldest person 45-64 years877 1000.85.5
Couples without children, oldest person 65 years and older635 600-0.21.9
Couples with children 0-6 years879 9001.15.6
Couples with children 7-17 years1 013 5000.74.6
Couples with children, oldest child 18 years and older1 134 7001.05.1
Single mother/father with children 0-17 years464 5000.93.2
Single mother/father with children 18 years and older623 2000.84.4
1Students not included
2In constant prices
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Registered incomes for households by type of household. Average in NOK.
    Registered incomes for households by type of household. Average in NOK.1 2 3
    2021
    All householdsLiving alone, person under 30 yearsLiving alone, person 30-44 yearsLiving alone, person 45-66 yearsLiving alone, person 67 years and olderCouple without resident children, oldest person under 30 yearsCouple without resident children, oldest person 30-44 yearsCouple without resident children, oldest person 45-66 yearsCouple without resident children, oldest person 67 years and olderCouples with children 0-5 yearsCouples with children 6-17 yearsCouples with children 18 years and olderSingle mother/father with children 0-5 yearSingle mother/father with children 6-17 yearSingle mother/father with children 18 year and olderTwo or more-familiy households
    Income from work (NOK)620 300349 500428 900382 60027 900769 700969 4001 025 200157 400999 8001 328 9001 313 400279 800503 900617 600817 400
    Wages and salaries (NOK)583 900339 700410 100360 70022 700749 900933 300961 700134 800947 3001 244 2001 230 000267 900480 800584 200762 600
    Net income from self-employment (NOK)36 4009 80018 70021 9005 30019 80036 10063 50022 70052 50084 70083 40011 90023 20033 40054 700
    Property income (NOK)90 50016 10034 30055 90037 90020 50052 900199 400126 80094 700163 800208 40019 50049 10059 60079 100
    Interest received (NOK)3 4001 6001 3002 0003 3004 2003 7004 6007 2003 2003 1005 6001 1001 7003 2003 800
    Share dividends received (NOK)60 20010 00018 40037 70017 3006 90024 600146 10076 50059 400120 900154 20012 90033 60035 40047 500
    Realised capital gains (NOK)26 3005 00015 80016 50016 3009 60029 20045 10040 50034 50037 40047 5004 70013 50020 20024 700
    Realised capital losses (NOK)6 0002 0005 4004 1002 2003 20011 1007 8006 20010 8008 40012 0001 3003 1004 3006 400
    Other capital incomes (NOK)6 6001 4004 1003 7003 2003 1006 60011 4008 9008 40010 60013 2002 2003 4005 1009 500
    Transfers received (NOK)248 10050 90081 100158 700353 20062 80090 500262 800667 100222 500148 100288 100233 800161 900246 600358 800
    Taxable transfers (NOK)231 30040 60073 000152 400350 80045 20082 000259 500663 600174 100111 900277 500145 500102 100232 200327 900
    Social security benefits (NOK)4 151 70024 50044 000105 600271 50019 90038 100153 700495 00024 30056 000180 70077 50062 200165 900221 900
    Old-age pensions (NOK)97 1000010 800267 8000039 900469 2003002 80070 6001001 00062 100121 900
    Disability benefits (NOK)40 10013 60030 70080 2003 1008 40022 00093 50023 30010 40032 40083 20016 20033 40077 30070 900
    Work assessment allowance (NOK)13 00010 90013 20012 60020011 40016 10019 7002 20012 60020 20026 60019 00018 60023 00024 900
    Service pensions etc. (NOK)33 80020070014 30074 80020080036 600140 5001 4007 10033 5001 1005 30025 00036 300
    Contractual pension (NOK)5 800005 7003 0000019 70020 90004008 60001003 1005 500
    Contractual pension (AFP) in public sector (NOK)5 3 500004 1001 0000013 10012 30002005 10001001 8003 400
    Contractual pension (AFP) in private sector (NOK)2 300001 6002 000006 6008 70002003 50001001 3002 100
    Unemployment benefits (NOK)10 2007 50013 4008 70020010 20018 80013 0001 70017 70014 00016 70012 5009 10012 90020 000
    Sickness benefits (NOK)6 18 8006 50012 50016 50050012 90021 00034 7004 40034 50031 50035 70021 70022 30023 30029 700
    Other taxable transfers (NOK)7 10 5001 8001 9001 2008001 7002 3001 1001 00095 4002 1001 40032 6002 9001 60013 400
    Tax-free transfers (NOK)16 70010 3008 1006 4002 40017 6008 4003 3003 50048 50036 20010 60088 30059 80014 40030 900
    Familiy allowances (NOK)6 8001001 1005000100500200028 90023 0001 10031 60025 6001 60010 400
    Dwelling support (kr)1 0001 4001 4001 3006006005002001001 1007003009 9004 3001 0001 100
    Scholarships (NOK)2 2003 5004000013 8004 40010003 9004 2004 1004 1004 0003 1007 200
    Social assistance (NOK)2 4003 9003 9003 1003001 7001 6008001003 1002 2001 40016 1007 5003 8003 800
    Basic and attendance benefits (NOK)1 2004005007007005004007009001 5003 3001 7001 9003 4001 5002 300
    Cash for care (NOK)50002000000004 900003 900001 100
    Other tax-free transfers (NOK)8 2 5009006008008001 0009001 4002 4005 0002 8002 10020 80015 0003 4005 000
    Total income (NOK)958 900416 500544 300597 200419 000853 0001 112 8001 487 300951 3001 317 0001 640 8001 809 900533 100715 000923 7001 255 300
    Total assessed taxed and negative transfers (NOK)253 80099 300145 300166 70079 300204 100301 800443 200206 000352 400480 100507 800102 000170 600229 300305 500
    Assessed taxes (NOK)248 60097 100141 100162 30079 100199 100294 500434 900205 000343 700469 700497 80098 500165 300223 600298 600
    Negative transfers (NOK)9 5 2002 2004 2004 3002004 9007 3008 3001 1008 80010 40010 0003 5005 4005 7006 900
    After-tax income (NOK)705 100317 200399 000430 500339 700649 000811 0001 044 100745 300964 6001 160 7001 302 100431 100544 300694 400949 800
    Number of households2 499 398174 265224 672332 129299 04351 43671 360215 260269 458220 484263 152117 56722 71785 11664 42988 310
    1Private households consiting of single persons living alone under the age of 18 are not included.
    2Couples included married couples, cohabiting couples and registered partners.
    3Students not included.
    4For recipients of new transitional benefits for single mothers/fathers from April 2014, the benefits will be taxed as wage. From the income year 2015, the benefits are included in Social security benefits.
    5Includes recipients of the former private contractual pension scheme (AFP).
    6Sickness benfits from the National Insurance Scheme. Holiday payments from sickness benefits are included.
    7Other taxable transfers include benefits such as parental benefit, annuity, introduction benefits for newly arrived refugees and qualification benefits (from 2008).
    8Other tax-free transfers benefits such as childcare benefit to single parents, lump sum maternity grants, compensation for work injury, education benefit to single parents and received child support managed by public arrangement. Various benefits received by people attending job creating programs are included from 2009. From 2014, extra compensation for recipients of contractual pension (AFP) is included.
    9Negative transfers include paid child support managed by public arrangement, paid annuity and mandatory contribution to private pension plan.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Measures of income dispersion. Household equivalent income (EU-scale) between persons
    Measures of income dispersion. Household equivalent income (EU-scale) between persons1
    Total populationTotal population excluding persons in student households
    Gini coefficientStandard error of the Gini coefficientP90/P102 S80/S203 Gini coefficientStandard error of the Gini coefficientP90/P102 S80/S203
    19980.2380.0032.73.40.2330.0032.63.2
    19990.2420.0042.73.40.2360.0042.63.3
    20000.2620.0042.73.70.2570.0042.63.6
    20010.2290.0022.63.20.2230.0022.53.1
    20020.2640.0042.73.80.2580.0042.63.6
    20030.2740.0032.83.90.2670.0032.73.7
    20040.283..2.74.10.276..2.63.8
    20050.327..2.84.80.319..2.74.5
    20060.243..2.83.50.235..2.63.3
    20070.252..2.83.70.244..2.73.5
    20080.248..2.83.60.240..2.73.4
    20090.241..2.83.50.231..2.63.3
    20100.245..2.83.60.236..2.63.3
    20110.247..2.83.60.237..2.73.4
    20120.249..2.93.70.239..2.73.4
    20130.250..2.93.70.241..2.73.4
    20140.256..2.93.80.247..2.83.5
    20150.271..3.04.00.263..2.83.8
    20160.261..3.03.90.252..2.83.6
    20170.261..3.03.90.252..2.83.6
    20180.260..3.03.90.251..2.83.6
    20190.259..3.03.90.250..2.83.6
    20200.262..3.03.90.252..2.83.6
    20210.289..3.04.30.279..2.84.0
    1Negative amounts have been set to zero.
    2Percentile ratio of the 9th and the 1st decile cut-offs.
    3The ratio of the share of income held by the top 20 per cent of the distribution and the bottom 20 per cent of the distribution.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Property account for households
    Property account for households1 2
    20212020 - 2021
    Average for households with different property holdings (NOK)Share of households with different property holdings (per cent)Total (NOK million)Percentage change (NOK million)
    Estimated real capital4 179 40084.98 865 49511.4
    Estimated market value primary dwelling4 277 20069.47 416 40512.1
    Estimated market value secondary dwelling3 281 7009.9810 7217.8
    Gross financial capital1 767 00098.84 364 93412.9
    Bank deposits596 30098.81 472 5806.4
    Shares and other securities3 554 90022.72 020 62312.7
    Share savings account3 524 20026.1342 25537.5
    Units of mutual funds252 10029.5185 81023.8
    Foreign taxable wealth excl. real properties465 3005.867 46218.8
    Estimated gross wealth5 351 40098.913 230 42911.9
    Debt1 913 40085.74 096 5944.9
    Study debt273 40026.2179 1968.2
    Estimated net wealth3 684 30099.29 133 83415.3
    Positive net wealth4 531 40083.09 403 26414.5
    Negative net wealth-667 00016.2-269 430-6.4
    Property taxes40 40017.717 8666.7
    1Students not included.
    2All wealth items are based on market value or assumed sales value before any tax valuation discount.
    3From 2017 it is possible to own listed shares and mutual fund holdings through a share savings account.
    Figures for estimated real capital, gross and net wealth were corrected on December 22, 2022.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Percentage share of total estimated net wealth, average net wealth and lowest value in decile for households, by deciles
    Percentage share of total estimated net wealth, average net wealth and lowest value in decile for households, by deciles1
    2021
    Share of total net wealth (per cent)Average estimated net wealth (NOK)Lowest value in decile (NOK)
    Total100.03 654 400..
    Decile 1-2.8-1 031 400..
    Decile 2-0.1-43 900-187 800
    Decile 30.5165 80023 400
    Decile 42.0734 500394 300
    Decile 54.01 461 6001 090 700
    Decile 66.22 248 8001 841 800
    Decile 78.63 154 3002 674 000
    Decile 811.84 320 3003 675 000
    Decile 916.96 193 1005 063 100
    Decile 1052.919 340 9007 715 100
    Top 5 per cent40.429 536 10011 133 000
    Top 1 per cent23.485 516 50026 075 500
    Top 0,1 per cent12.0437 343 300131 321 100
    1Students not included
    Figures for estimated real capital, gross and net wealth were corrected on December 22, 2022.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Registered incomes for residents. Number of persons with amount. Amount in NOK million.
    Registered incomes for residents. Number of persons with amount. Amount in NOK million.
    20202021
    Number of persons with amountNOK millionNumber of persons with amountNOK million
    INCOME FROM WORK3 163 3701 460 959.83 209 5691 561 362.6
    Wages and salaries3 057 3421 378 913.03 099 3371 470 158.4
    Net income from self-employment310 72782 046.7318 29891 204.2
    PROPERTY INCOME4 211 434115 998.73 878 478228 461.2
    Interest received4 193 62713 742.63 698 4008 725.5
    Share dividends received466 40666 764.2617 077151 660.7
    Realised capital gains444 28636 916.6468 00766 632.9
    Realised capital losses218 45616 006.7247 58815 255.2
    Other capital incomes1 569 83614 582.01 681 13416 697.4
    TRANSFERS RECEIVED3 391 964608 124.53 450 347631 297.6
    TAXABLE TRANSFERS2 640 901561 334.22 714 198584 479.1
    Social security benefits1 1 443 214361 992.01 474 791384 265.9
    Old-age pensions930 414231 608.9948 609246 335.4
    Disability benefits368 18996 954.6371 265101 455.3
    Work Assessment Allowance165 61229 649.8177 12132 687.6
    Service pensions etc912 65380 517.1930 91685 324.9
    Contractual pension (AFP)131 92813 287.6141 69614 499.1
    Contractual pension (AFP) in public sector2 37 8678 261.138 3788 836.8
    Contractual pension (AFP) in private sector94 0785 026.5103 3355 662.3
    Unemployment benefits495 24032 431.7426 54725 851.5
    Sickness benefits3 824 15246 739.8957 38447 098.3
    Other taxable transfers4 220 92824 936.4220 41126 233.3
    TAX-FREE TRANSFERS1 546 10146 790.31 542 45546 818.5
    Familiy allowances693 10316 035.7693 23617 134.2
    Dwelling support124 6913 308.3117 5962 735.8
    Scholarships408 2359 078.8412 1679 282.0
    Social assistance122 0376 728.8117 2436 602.7
    Basic and attendance benefits169 2753 171.4170 9323 178.2
    Cash for care38 1391 450.436 2251 341.2
    Other tax-free transfers5 280 7357 016.8270 7946 544.4
    TOTAL INCOME4 479 3192 185 083.04 513 6272 421 121.5
    Assessed taxes and negative transfers3 910 547561 625.43 991 720637 133.2
    Assessed taxes3 875 256549 036.93 952 800624 030.2
    Negative transfers6 1 271 17212 588.41 299 78413 103.0
    AFTER-TAX INCOME4 479 7061 623 457.64 514 4931 783 988.3
    NUMBER OF RESIDENTS5 391 369..5 425 270..
    1For recipients of new transitional benefits for single mothers/fathers from April 2014, the benefits will be taxed as wage. From the income year 2015, the benefits are included in Social security benefits.
    2Includes recipients of the former private contractual pension scheme (AFP).
    3Sickness benfits from the National Insurance Scheme. Holiday payments from sickness benefits are included.
    4Other taxable transfers include benefits such as parental benefit, annuity, introduction benefits for newly arrived refugees and qualification benefits (from 2008).
    5Other tax-free transfers benefits such as childcare benefit to single parents, lump sum maternity grants, compensation for work injury, education benefit to single parents and received child support managed by public arrangement. Various benefits received by people attending job creating programs are included from 2009. From 2014, extra compensation for recipients of contractual pension (AFP) is included.
    6Negative transfers include paid child support managed by public arrangement, paid annuity and mandatory contribution to private pension plan
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

Income and wealth statistics for households provide figures for the level, composition, development and distribution of income and wealth. The statistics comprises all monetary income, both taxable and tax-exempt, as well as wealth and debt. The statistics presents the general developments of income and wealth as well as its distribution between household types and other groups.

The concepts presented here are explained according to how they are used in the statistics. These explanations may differ from the common definitions of the concepts.

Household

A household is regarded as all persons who live permanently in the same dwelling and having common housekeeping. The statistics include only persons in private households. Persons registered as living in institutions are not included.

Student household

A student household is defined as a household where the main income earner is not mainly economically active or in receipt of pensions and benefits, but receives a loan from the State Educational Loan Fund.

Main income earner

The main income earner is the person in the household who has the highest total income before taxes of the income earners in the household. If there is no income earner in the household, the oldest person is defined as the main income earner.

Total income

Total income is the sum of employee, income from self-employment, property income and transfers received. Assessed tax and other negative transfers are not deducted.

After-tax income

After-tax income is calculated as total income minus assessed tax and negative transfers.

Income from work

Income from work is the sum of employee income and net income from self-employment during the calendar year. As of 2006 sickness and parental benefits is not included.

Income from self-employment

Income received in self-employment jobs. It primarily concerns the profit or loss from unincorporated enterprises.

Property income

Property income is the sum of interest received, share dividends received, realized capital gains (or losses) and other property income received during the calendar year.

Taxable transfers

Taxable transfers are the sum of pensions and benefits from the social security scheme, public and private employer provided schemes, unemployment benefits, sickness benefits and other taxable benefits.

Tax-free transfers

Tax-free transfers consist of child benefits, dwelling support, scholarships, social assistance, basic and attendance benefit and more.

Child support received through private agreements is not registered, and therefore not included in the statistics.

Assessed taxes and negative transfers

This comprises income tax and wealth tax to the central government and municipalities. Examples of negative transfers are pension contributions in employment and paid child support managed by public arrangement.

Estimated real capital

Estimated value of properties, buildings and constructions, possessions, etc.

Market value is used for primary and secondary dwellings, commercial properties, forests and farms.

Tax value is used for other real estate and private and commercial moveable property.

Primary dwelling

The dwelling where the address of the owner is registered in the National Population Register at the end of the year. Value is set according to assessed market value. A person can only own one primary dwelling. Farmhouses on farms are not regarded as primary dwellings.

Secondary dwelling

A dwelling that a person owns, which is not the primary dwelling. Value is set according to assessed market value. Cabins and holiday properties are not secondary dwellings.

Estimated gross financial capital

Comprises bank deposits, shares, units of mutual funds, share savings accounts, bonds and other securities.

Prior to 2008, appreciation of shares, mutual funds, primary capital certificates etc. were subject to discounts. In the wealth statistics, tax value was applied. Between 2008 and 2016, discounts were not used, and tax value corresponded to market value. From 2017, discounts in the appreciation values were once again used in the taxation of financial wealth. In the wealth statistics, however, tax values have been adjusted upwards so that the appreciation used in the wealth statistics corresponds to market or sales value.

Estimated gross wealth

Sum of estimated real capital and gross financial capital.

Debt

Comprises dept to creditors and share of dept for owners in Building Societies. From 2017, market value of debt is used, including appreciation discounts used in the taxation of debt. Prior to 2017, market value and taxable value of debt were the same.

From 2017 and on the sum of debt was subject to a reduction before subtracting the debt from the wealth estimation when assessing taxation of wealth.

In the Income and wealth statistics for households, the sum of debt before any possible reduction is used in the definition of wealth.

Unsecured debt contains debt with both interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing balances. Data on unsecured debt are only available from the income year 2019 and on. The size of the unsecured debt is calculated according to data from Gjeldsregisteret AS as of December 31st in the income year.

Estimated net wealth

Estimated gross wealth minus debt.

Median income

Median income is the exact income amount that splits a distribution in two equally sized groups, when income is sorted ascending (or descending). The number of persons with income above the median will be the same as the number of persons with income below the median.

Income per consumption unit (equivalent income)

The needs of a household grow with each additional member but not in a proportional way. Needs for housing space, electricity, etc. will not be three times as high for a household with three members than for a single person, due to economy of scale. With the help of equivalence scales each household type in the population is assigned a value in proportion to its needs. The factors commonly considered to assign these values are the number of persons in the household and whether they are adults or children.

Several equivalents scales exist which are used for different purposes. In the Income and wealth statistics for households, the EU scale is applied (see below).

Consumption units calculated according to the EU scale

This is the ‘OECD-modified equivalence scale’ which assigns a value of 1 to the household head, of 0.5 to each additional adult member and of 0.3 to each child under the age of 17.

Consumption units calculated according to the OECD scale

This equivalence scale assigns a value of 1 to the household head, of 0.7 to each additional adult member and of 0.5 to each child under the age of 17.

Low income threshold

The low-income thresholds are defined as a share of median equivalent income after tax. Commonly used shares are 50 or 60 per cent of median income after tax per consumption unit. There is no official low-income threshold in Norway. Statistics Norway calculates different low-income thresholds based on the income level among the total population, and thus is relative to the general income growth and comparable for persons belonging to different household types.

Low-income group

Persons belonging to a household with annual equivalent income below the low-income threshold.

Economically active

A person that has income from employment or self-employment that is greater than twice the Basic Amount of the National Insurance Scheme (so-called "G", or "grunnbeløpet"). For the income year 2010 and earlier, persons with income from employment or self-employment greater than the Minimum Pension for single people were regarded as economically active.

This concept differs from the definition “Employed persons” used in other statistics, which defines whether a person is in employment on a certain time.

Single parents

Persons in the household type "mother/father with children aged 0-17 years".

Old-age pensioners

Persons in households where the main income earner, according to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, receives old age pension from the social security system.

Disability pensioners

Persons in households where the main income earner, according to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, receives disability pension from the social security system.

Pensioners within the Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme

Persons in households where the main income earner, according to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, is in early retirement.

Receivers of survivor's benefits

Persons in households where the main income earner, according to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, receives survivor's benefit (after deceased spouse) from the social security system.

Old-age pensioners with minimum state pension

As of 2021 the definition of receivers of the minimum state pension that the Income and Wealth statistics for Households use is in accordance with the definition used by Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.

In the Income and Wealth statistics for Households the number of receivers of retirement pension and the minimum state pension will be fewer than the number the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration reports since we only count residents at the close of the year.

Until 2020 receivers of the minimum state pension were defined by persons who received the minimum state pension, or who received a pension supplement.

Receivers of the minimum state pension

Persons who receive the minimum pension level, which is a guaranteed minimum retirement pension payment from the National Insurance Scheme. The definition distinguishes between:

  • Old-age pensioners who receive the minimum state pension.
  • Disability pensioners who receive the minimum state pension.
  • Receivers of minimum level survivor’s benefits

Until 2020 receivers of the minimum state pension were defined as persons who received the minimum state pension, or who received a pension supplement.

Receivers of work assessment allowance

Persons in households where the main income earner is registered with a longstanding illness. Included are persons in receipt of rehabilitation allowances, persons incapable of full labour force participation, but attend labour market schemes, and others. Up until 2005, persons who were incapable of full labour force participation but who attended programmes initiated by the National Insurance Scheme (e.g. school and work placements), and persons who were receiving vocational rehabilitation allowances, were not included in the statistics.

Long-term unemployed

Persons in households where the main income earner has been registered as unemployed for 6 consecutive months or more during the year.

People on social assistance

Persons in households where the main income earner has received social assistance at least once during the year.

Singles

Persons who are the only person in a household.

Immigrants

Persons in households where the main income earner is born abroad by two foreign-born parents (first-generation immigrant).

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Persons in households where the main income earner is born in Norway by two foreign-born parents.

Refugees

Persons in households where the main income earner is immigrated to Norway for refuge reasons.

Persons with refugee background

Persons in households where the main income earner is immigrated to Norway for refuge reasons or immigrated family members of these.

Age

Age (number of years) at the end of the year.

Socioeconomic status

Socioeconomic status is described by type of economic activity (see above). The economically active population, which mainly receive their income from working, is divided into self-employed and employees. If income from self-employment is greater than income from employment, the person is classified as self-employed, and vice versa.

We have the following socio-economic groups:

Working

  • Self-employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing
  • Self-employed in other industries.
  • Employee

Non-working

  • Pensioners and National Insurance recipients
  • Other non-working

Income sources not included in the income statistics

After-tax income comprises the sum of income from work, property income and transfers, where assessed taxes and negative transfers are deducted. This way of defining income is in accordance with the practical definition recommended in the Canberra report (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 2011).

The income statistics cover most of the various monetary income sources. Due to lack of information, the following elements are not included in the statistics although they affect the income level.

  • The value of public services, such as public health care and education
  • The net value of unpaid domestic services. This include unpaid housework, child care and goods produced for own consumption
  • The net value of owner-occupied housing services.
  • The net value of services from household consumer durables
  • Income withheld from taxation or gained from criminal activities
  • Child support received through private agreements
  • Rental income when renting out less than 50 per cent of owner-occupied housing
  • Municipal subsidy schemes for housing and cash benefits for child care
  • Local property taxes are not deducted when estimating after-tax income due to lack of information
  • Interest payments are not deducted from after-tax income, although data on this is available. This is done as a rough compensation for not including the value of owner-occupied housing services in the income.

Types of household are in accordance with standard classifications.

Name: Income and wealth statistics for households
Topic: Income and consumption

19 December 2023

Division for Income and social welfare statistics

National level, counties, municipalities, urban districts in the four largest cities and statistical tracts.

Annually. The statistics are released in the last quarter in the year after the statistical year.

Income data is used in Eurostat's structural indicators on low income and income distribution (EU SILC). Micro data for selected years is also included in the databases Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) and Luxembourg Wealth Study (LWS). Income data is also included in OECD's Income Distribution Database.

Collected and revised data are stored securely by Statistics Norway in compliance with applicable legislation on data processing.

Statistics Norway can grant access to the source data (de-identified or anonymised microdata) on which the statistics are based, for researchers and public authorities for the purposes of preparing statistical results and analyses. Access can be granted upon application and subject to conditions. Refer to the details about this at Access to data from Statistics Norway.

The purpose of the statistics is to quantify the economic resources the households have available for saving and consumption. This is a basis for information about essential sides of the state and development of living conditions and welfare in the society, such as:

  • Types of income and the size of these
  • Wealth and debt – sizes and types
  • How income and wealth is distributed between households.

This gives an opportunity to measure economic inequality, estimate the extent of low income, rate of debt, economic activity and other conditions, and study how this varies between types of households, population groups, regions etc.

The Income Distribution Survey was conducted annually from 1986 to 2004 based on a representative sample survey. Information on the household composition was collected from various Living Condition Surveys and Household Budget Surveys. Up until 1992, the income data was obtained in the form of paper forms from the local tax offices. In addition, tax-free transfers were obtained electronically from other government agencies. Beginning with the survey for the 1993 income year, it was possible to obtain all income data from the personal tax return in electronic form. From 2005 we have also established household composition by using registers. This means that we are now able to produce a totally register-based household income statistics

The main users are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Children and Families, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, local and regional authorities and research institutes in the areas of household economics, tax research and living conditions in general.

The tax model “LOTTE”, which is operated by Statistics Norway and is used for simulation of taxes and in tax research is updated annually with data from the Income and wealth statistics for households.

The data sources are very detailed and are therefore capable of providing other arrangements and allocations of statistics than those that are published by Statistics Norway.

No external users have access to statistics before they are released at 8 a.m. on ssb.no after at least three months’ advance notice in the release calendar. This is one of the most important principles in Statistics Norway for ensuring the equal treatment of users.

Tax statistics for personal tax payers is an important data source for the statistics on income and wealth for households. The tax statistics include data from all the records in the tax return and is obtained for all persons residing in the country. The statistics have been available as total census based on registers from the year 1993 and on.

The statistics are developed, produced and disseminated pursuant to Act no. 32 of 21 June 2019 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway (the Statistics Act).

Not relevant.

All persons residing in Norway and resident in a private household as of 31st December of the income year.

From 2013, residents studying abroad are also excluded from the households.

The totally register-based income statistics as of 2004 is a total census. Households are derived at after performing certain adjustments to the formal households (formal address according to the National Population Register). These adjustments include omitting people living in institutions and moving students, that no longer reside with their parents, to single person households. Surveys suggest that less than 10 per cent of the students in Norway actually live at home. In addition, other administrative sources are used to identify more cohabitating couples that belong to the same household.

Income data is received by linking different administrative registers and statistical data sources for the whole population as of 31st of December of the income year. Income and biographical data is collected from the following sources:

  • Data from tax returns (wages and salaries, self-employment income, pensions etc.)
  • The Tax Register (taxes)
  • The a-ordning (unemployment benefit, various tax-free transfers)
  • Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (family allowances, basic and additional amounts, cash benefit etc.)
  • KOSTRA (social assistance)
  • State Educational Loan Fund -Lånekassen (loans to students, scholarships)
  • Gjeldsregisteret AS (unsecured debt)
  • Education statistics and household statistics from Statistics Norway (highest level of completed education etc.)
  • Sample survey in the period 1986-2004. From 2004 totally census-based.

Data are collected from various administrative registers.

Consistency controls are undertaken by comparing information from different sources.

The population of the Income Distribution Survey (1986-2004) was weighted by the use of a calibration program. This method of estimation permits the population to show the same aggregates familiar from the register statistics (for the population) for selected variables. This applies to the different personal incomes and net wealth.

Not relevant.

Interviewers and everyone who works at Statistics Norway have a duty of confidentiality. Statistics Norway has its own data protection officer.

Statistics Norway does not publish figures where there is a risk of identifying individual data about persons or households.

The surpression method is used in this statistics to ensure this, by supressing any combination that would display 11 or fewer observations.

More information can be found on Statistics Norway’s website under Methods in official statistics, in the ‘Confidentiality’ section.

The Income and wealth statistics has gone through several significant changes through the years. This is due to changes in the income concept, as a result of changes in the tax system and access to new income components from registers.

The estimation of household wealth has also changed over the years, according to changing tax rules and available data and methods for estimating market value for various wealth components. From 2010 and on, for example, Statistics Norway has been able to estimate market value for primary and secondary dwellings in Norway.

Some data collection and processing errors are unavoidable. These include coding errors, revision errors, data processing errors, etc. Comprehensive efforts have been made to minimize these errors, and we regard these types of errors to be relatively insignificant.

Sources of error and uncertainty before 2005

From and including the income year 2005, these statistics are based on a total census and will not be affected by variance and bias. For previous years with survey-based statistics, the following is of relevance:

All sample surveys are subject to a certain amount of uncertainty. In general; the fewer observations the more uncertain the results. Results based on less than 20 observations are therefore not published.

Groups based on relatively few observations will be very strongly influenced by extreme observations, i.e. observations that deviate greatly from the average. In this statistics, extreme observations in most cases are included, but an attempt has been made to reduce the effect of such observations by adjustments (reduction) of the household weights.

Bias can occur when the distribution between certain groups in the sample is not the same as the corresponding distribution in the total population. Sample bias of this type can occur through non-response. Most of the data for the Income Distribution Survey was obtained from administrative registers. Non-response is not a problem for this part of the material. The household composition was based on interviews, where there will always be non-response. Non-response is adjusted by replacing household data with data on family composition from registers.

A revision is a planned change to figures that have already been published, for example when releasing final figures as a follow-up to published preliminary figures. See also Statistics Norway’s principles for revisions. Not relevant here.

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