Ærø: population and statistics
Ærø has a population of 5,766 (2026) across 90.1 km², or 64.0 people per km². It ranks 95 of 98 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −8.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,766 residents
- 90.1 km²
- 64 people/km²
- 46 m
Ærø in numbers
Population of Ærø over time
Ærø had 6,290 residents in 2016 and 5,766 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,960 |
| 2022 | 6,025 |
| 2023 | 6,008 |
| 2024 | 5,960 |
| 2025 | 5,881 |
| 2026 | 5,766 |
All indicators for Ærø
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 | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share aged 65 and over (2026) | 38.9% | 23.3% | 23.6% | ranked 4 of 98 | |
| Share under 18 (2026) | 13.5% | 18.8% | 19.2% | ranked 96 of 98 | |
| Average age (2026) | 53.2 years | 44.0 | 44.3 | ranked 3 of 98 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of occupied dwellings (2026) | 3,239 | 602,013 | 2,872,738 | ranked 95 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built before 1950 (2026) | 64.5% | 31.3% | 28.9% | ranked 3 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built in 2000 or later (2026) | 5.4% | 16.4% | 16.8% | ranked 97 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses) (2026) | 89.7% | 69.9% | 73.2% | ranked 1 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 7.9% | 27.7% | 23.6% | ranked 92 of 98 | |
| Dwellings occupied by the owner (2026) | 67.9% | 51.4% | 57.6% | ranked 9 of 98 | |
| Newly built dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.68 ‰ | 3.60 ‰ | 3.13 ‰ | ranked 95 of 98 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with district heating (2026) | 49.8% | 62.1% | 48.7% | ranked 46 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with natural gas boiler (2026) | 0.0% | 11.3% | 13.4% | ranked 85 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with oil-fired boiler or oil stove (2026) | 12.2% | 5.3% | 6.2% | ranked 7 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with heat pump (2026) | 15.5% | 11.2% | 13.6% | ranked 37 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with electric heating (2026) | 17.1% | 4.0% | 4.9% | ranked 4 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with solid fuel (wood, coal) (2026) | 4.6% | 5.6% | 6.2% | ranked 60 of 98 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of enterprises (2024) | 513 | 80,137 | 414,663 | ranked 95 of 98 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 86.1 ‰ | 64.7 ‰ | 69.0 ‰ | ranked 6 of 98 | |
| Average disposable income per person (2024) | 235,120 DKK | 269,119 DKK | 272,448 DKK | ranked 97 of 98 |
Employment
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (aged 16–64) (2024) | 73.8% | 76.6% | 78.0% | ranked 91 of 98 | |
| Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force) (2025) | 1.8% | 2.8% | 2.5% | ranked 92 of 98 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 39.0 ‰ | 29.2 ‰ | 25.1 ‰ | ranked 39 of 98 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 481.6 ‰ | 518.0 ‰ | 533.2 ‰ | ranked 73 of 98 | |
| Electric cars (share of passenger cars) (2026) | 7.1% | 15.3% | 15.6% | ranked 98 of 98 |
Education
| Indicator | Ærø | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a higher education (aged 15–69) (2025) | 31.5% | 32.7% | 31.6% | ranked 52 of 98 |
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Southern Denmark, Ærø ranks No. 21 by population.
Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses): 89.7% in Ærø, compared with an average of 69.9% in Southern Denmark and 57.0% nationally.
Residential buildings with natural gas boiler: 0.0% in Ærø, compared with an average of 11.3% in Southern Denmark and 15.9% nationally.
Largest business sector: Finance and insurance, with 11.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 1,074 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Southern Denmark for “Dwellings built before 1950”.
- Number 1 in Southern Denmark for “Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses)”.
- “Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses)”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Residential buildings with natural gas boiler”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Electric cars (share of passenger cars)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,619 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times lower than the national average.
Business sectors: Ærø
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Finance and insurance11.5% ×0.5
- Construction11.1% ×1.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.9% ×1.9
- Accommodation and food services10.1% ×3.0
- Wholesale and retail trade9.0% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical8.6% ×0.8
- Manufacturing6.2% ×1.7
- Real estate6.0% ×0.7
Where is Ærø?
Sunshine and temperatures: Ærø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ærø?
Ærø has 5,766 residents (2026), ranking 95 of 98 municipalities.
How big is Ærø?
Ærø covers 90.1 km², with a density of 64 people per km².
Is the population of Ærø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Ærø went from 6,290 to 5,766, a change of −8.3%.
Where is Ærø?
Ærø is in Southern Denmark. Latitude 54.883, longitude 10.333.
Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses): what is the figure for Ærø?
In Ærø, “Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses)” stands at 89.7% (2026), ranking 1 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 73.2%.
Residential buildings with natural gas boiler: what is the figure for Ærø?
In Ærø, “Residential buildings with natural gas boiler” stands at 0.0% (2026), ranking 85 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 13.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ærø?
In Ærø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 1,074 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ærø?
The nearest to Ærø are Svendborg (29 km), Langeland (34 km), Sønderborg (35 km), Faaborg-Midtfyn (38 km), Assens (51 km).