Varde: population and statistics
Varde has a population of 49,468 (2026) across 1,240.1 km², or 39.9 people per km². It ranks 42 of 98 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.6% between 2016 and 2026.
- 49,468 residents
- 1,240.1 km²
- 40 people/km²
- 19 m
Varde in numbers
Population of Varde over time
Varde had 50,289 residents in 2016 and 49,468 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 49,628 |
| 2022 | 49,664 |
| 2023 | 49,995 |
| 2024 | 49,798 |
| 2025 | 49,410 |
| 2026 | 49,468 |
All indicators for Varde
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 | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.2% | 23.3% | 23.6% | ranked 43 of 98 | |
| Share under 18 (2026) | 19.3% | 18.8% | 19.2% | ranked 45 of 98 | |
| Average age (2026) | 45.1 years | 44.0 | 44.3 | ranked 44 of 98 |
Housing
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of occupied dwellings (2026) | 22,988 | 602,013 | 2,872,738 | ranked 41 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built before 1950 (2026) | 31.3% | 31.3% | 28.9% | ranked 39 of 98 | |
| Dwellings built in 2000 or later (2026) | 14.6% | 16.4% | 16.8% | ranked 61 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in houses (detached and terraced houses) (2026) | 82.4% | 69.9% | 73.2% | ranked 25 of 98 | |
| Dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 13.7% | 27.7% | 23.6% | ranked 78 of 98 | |
| Dwellings occupied by the owner (2026) | 63.1% | 51.4% | 57.6% | ranked 24 of 98 | |
| Newly built dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.36 ‰ | 3.60 ‰ | 3.13 ‰ | ranked 47 of 98 |
Energy
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with district heating (2026) | 52.8% | 62.1% | 48.7% | ranked 42 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with natural gas boiler (2026) | 9.8% | 11.3% | 13.4% | ranked 58 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with oil-fired boiler or oil stove (2026) | 9.4% | 5.3% | 6.2% | ranked 25 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with heat pump (2026) | 16.9% | 11.2% | 13.6% | ranked 27 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with electric heating (2026) | 4.3% | 4.0% | 4.9% | ranked 56 of 98 | |
| Residential buildings with solid fuel (wood, coal) (2026) | 6.1% | 5.6% | 6.2% | ranked 50 of 98 |
Economy
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of enterprises (2024) | 3,766 | 80,137 | 414,663 | ranked 31 of 98 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 75.6 ‰ | 64.7 ‰ | 69.0 ‰ | ranked 24 of 98 | |
| Average disposable income per person (2024) | 268,401 DKK | 269,119 DKK | 272,448 DKK | ranked 56 of 98 |
Employment
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (aged 16–64) (2024) | 80.7% | 76.6% | 78.0% | ranked 16 of 98 | |
| Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force) (2025) | 1.9% | 2.8% | 2.5% | ranked 88 of 98 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 171.9 ‰ | 29.2 ‰ | 25.1 ‰ | ranked 11 of 98 |
Transport
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 566.8 ‰ | 518.0 ‰ | 533.2 ‰ | ranked 22 of 98 | |
| Electric cars (share of passenger cars) (2026) | 13.6% | 15.3% | 15.6% | ranked 74 of 98 |
Education
| Indicator | Varde | Southern Denmark | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a higher education (aged 15–69) (2025) | 26.7% | 32.7% | 31.6% | ranked 75 of 98 |
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Southern Denmark, Varde ranks No. 11 by population.
Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force): 1.9% in Varde, compared with an average of 2.8% in Southern Denmark and 2.8% nationally.
Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants: 171.9 ‰ in Varde, compared with an average of 29.2 ‰ in Southern Denmark and 37.4 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Finance and insurance, with 20.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 984 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Southern Denmark for “Employment rate (aged 16–64)”.
- “Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force)”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 173,683 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.5 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Esbjerg (114,947 residents), 19 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,936 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Business sectors: Varde
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Finance and insurance20.8% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.3% ×2.8
- Real estate10.3% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade9.9% ×1.0
- Construction9.7% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical5.1% ×0.5
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.3
- Other service activities4.5% ×1.0
Where is Varde?
Sunshine and temperatures: Varde
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Varde?
Varde has 49,468 residents (2026), ranking 42 of 98 municipalities.
How big is Varde?
Varde covers 1,240.1 km², with a density of 40 people per km².
Is the population of Varde growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Varde went from 50,289 to 49,468, a change of −1.6%.
Where is Varde?
Varde is in Southern Denmark. Latitude 55.633, longitude 8.483.
Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force): what is the figure for Varde?
In Varde, “Unemployment (full-time unemployed as a percentage of the labour force)” stands at 1.9% (2025), ranking 88 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 2.5%.
Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Varde?
In Varde, “Summer houses per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 171.9 ‰ (2026), ranking 11 of 98 municipalities; the national median is 25.1 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Varde?
In Varde, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 984 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Varde?
The nearest to Varde are Esbjerg (19 km), Fanø (24 km), Billund (32 km), Ringkøbing-Skjern (42 km), Vejen (45 km).