Kolding: population and statistics
Kolding has a population of 96,214 (2026) across 604.4 km², or 159 people per km². It ranks 12 of 98 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 96,214 residents
- 604.4 km²
- 159 people/km²
- 4 m
Kolding in numbers
Population of Kolding over time
Kolding had 91,695 residents in 2016 and 96,214 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 93,161 |
| 2022 | 93,544 |
| 2023 | 94,528 |
| 2024 | 94,932 |
| 2025 | 95,897 |
| 2026 | 96,214 |
All indicators for Kolding
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 | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share aged 65 and over (2026) | 20.4% | 23.3% | 23.6% | ranked 72 of 98 | |
| Share under 18 (2026) | 20.1% | 18.8% | 19.2% | ranked 33 of 98 | |
| Average age (2026) | 42.4 years | 44.0 | 44.3 | ranked 72 of 98 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of occupied dwellings (2026) | 45,414 | 602,013 | 2,872,738 | ranked 12 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built before 1950 (2026) | 27.7% | 31.3% | 28.9% | ranked 55 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built in 2000 or later (2026) | 21.2% | 16.4% | 16.8% | ranked 26 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses) (2026) | 65.7% | 69.9% | 73.2% | ranked 67 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 33.6% | 27.7% | 23.6% | ranked 31 of 98 | |
| Dwellings occupied by the owner (2026) | 49.5% | 51.4% | 57.6% | ranked 77 of 98 | |
| Newly built dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.10 ‰ | 3.60 ‰ | 3.13 ‰ | ranked 37 of 98 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with district heating (2026) | 71.0% | 62.1% | 48.7% | ranked 13 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with natural gas boiler (2026) | 9.1% | 11.3% | 13.4% | ranked 59 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with oil-fired boiler or oil stove (2026) | 4.5% | 5.3% | 6.2% | ranked 60 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with heat pump (2026) | 8.2% | 11.2% | 13.6% | ranked 85 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with electric heating (2026) | 2.3% | 4.0% | 4.9% | ranked 82 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with solid fuel (wood, coal) (2026) | 4.7% | 5.6% | 6.2% | ranked 59 of 98 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of enterprises (2024) | 6,932 | 80,137 | 414,663 | ranked 11 of 98 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 73.0 ‰ | 64.7 ‰ | 69.0 ‰ | ranked 34 of 98 | |
| Average disposable income per person (2024) | 275,204 DKK | 269,119 DKK | 272,448 DKK | ranked 45 of 98 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (aged 16–64) (2024) | 78.4% | 76.6% | 78.0% | ranked 41 of 98 | |
| Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force) (2025) | 2.6% | 2.8% | 2.5% | ranked 41 of 98 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 16.5 ‰ | 29.2 ‰ | 25.1 ‰ | ranked 53 of 98 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 505.3 ‰ | 518.0 ‰ | 533.2 ‰ | ranked 65 of 98 | |
| Electric cars (share of passenger cars) (2026) | 17.0% | 15.3% | 15.6% | ranked 33 of 98 |
Education
| Indicator | Kolding | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a higher education (aged 15–69) (2025) | 34.7% | 32.7% | 31.6% | ranked 37 of 98 |
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Southern Denmark, Kolding ranks No. 4 by population.
Largest business sector: Finance and insurance, with 23.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 989 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Number of enterprises”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 84,650 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Middelfart, 17.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Odense (213,168 residents), 59 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,956 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Business sectors: Kolding
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Finance and insurance23.4% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade11.3% ×1.2
- Real estate10.7% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical9.6% ×0.9
- Construction7.5% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.9% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.7% ×1.3
Where is Kolding?
Sunshine and temperatures: Kolding
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kolding?
Kolding has 96,214 residents (2026), ranking 12 of 98 municipalities.
How big is Kolding?
Kolding covers 604.4 km², with a density of 159 people per km².
Is the population of Kolding growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Kolding went from 91,695 to 96,214, a change of +4.9%.
Where is Kolding?
Kolding is in Southern Denmark. Latitude 55.490, longitude 9.470.
Number of enterprises: what is the figure for Kolding?
In Kolding, “Number of enterprises” stands at 6,932 (2024), ranking 11 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 3,031.
Number of occupied dwellings: what is the figure for Kolding?
In Kolding, “Number of occupied dwellings” stands at 45,414 (2026), ranking 12 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 20,537.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kolding?
In Kolding, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 989 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kolding?
The nearest to Kolding are Middelfart (18 km), Vejen (20 km), Fredericia (21 km), Vejle (24 km), Haderslev (27 km).