Localities of Iceland facts for kids

In Iceland, towns and villages are often grouped together into larger areas called municipalities. Think of a municipality as a local government area, like a county or a district. For example, the municipality of Árborg includes four different places: Selfoss, Stokkseyri, Eyrarbakki, and Tjarnabyggð.
Sometimes, a municipality might have only one town. Other times, a municipality might not have any towns at all! Each town or village in Iceland belongs to only one municipality. This means a town can't be split between two different municipalities. Some municipalities, like Hafnarfjörður and Akranes, even share their name with a town inside them. But remember, the town doesn't always cover the whole municipality area.
Iceland's Towns and Villages
Local governments in Iceland mostly handle things at the municipality level. However, most towns and villages are also listed as "localities." These localities are mainly used to collect information and for statistics, like a census area. Below is a list of these localities with their populations.
Rank | Name | Population (2013) |
Population (2018) |
Change (since 2013) |
Municipality | Region |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Reykjavík | 118,918 | 124,847 | ![]() |
Reykjavík | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
2 | Kópavogur | 31,719 | 35,966 | ![]() |
Kópavogur | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
3 | Hafnarfjörður | 26,800 | 29,409 | ![]() |
Hafnarfjörður | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
4 | Akureyri | 17,693 | 18,542 | ![]() |
Akureyri | Norðurland eystra |
5 | Reykjanesbær | 14,153 | 17,555 | ![]() |
Reykjanesbær | Suðurnes |
6 | Garðabær | 11,421 | 12,912 | ![]() |
Garðabær | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
7 | Mosfellsbær | 8,651 | 10,225 | ![]() |
Mosfellsbær | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
8 | Selfoss | 6,510 | 7,564 | ![]() |
Árborg | Suðurland |
9 | Akranes | 6,612 | 7,249 | ![]() |
Akranes | Vesturland |
10 | Seltjarnarnes | 4,322 | 4,575 | ![]() |
Seltjarnarnes | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
11 | Vestmannaeyjar | 4,219 | 4,284 | ![]() |
Vestmannaeyjar | Suðurland |
12 | Grindavík | 2,856 | 3,319 | ![]() |
Grindavíkurbær | Suðurnes |
13 | Ísafjörður | 2,624 | 2,625 | ![]() |
Ísafjarðarbær | Vestfirðir |
14 | Álftanes | 2,392 | 2,586 | ![]() |
Garðabær | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
15 | Sauðárkrókur | 2,575 | 2,574 | ![]() |
Skagafjörður | Norðurland vestra |
16 | Hveragerði | 2,288 | 2,564 | ![]() |
Hveragerði | Suðurland |
17 | Egilsstaðir | 2,303 | 2,464 | ![]() |
Múlaþing | Austurland |
18 | Húsavík | 2,228 | 2,323 | ![]() |
Norðurþing | Norðurland eystra |
19 | Borgarnes | 1,759 | 1,962 | ![]() |
Borgarbyggð | Vesturland |
20 | Sandgerði | 1,546 | 1,753 | ![]() |
Suðurnesjabær | Suðurnes |
21 | Höfn | 1,690 | 1,677 | ![]() |
Hornafjörður | Austurland |
22 | Þorlákshöfn | 1,489 | 1,651 | ![]() |
Ölfus | Suðurland |
23 | Garður | 1,429 | 1,595 | ![]() |
Suðurnesjabær | Suðurnes |
24 | Neskaupstaður | 1,466 | 1,469 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
25 | Dalvík | 1,359 | 1,367 | ![]() |
Dalvíkurbyggð | Norðurland eystra |
26 | Reyðarfjörður | 1,152 | 1,270 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
27 | Siglufjörður | 1,190 | 1,183 | ![]() |
Fjallabyggð | Norðurland eystra |
28 | Vogar | 1,029 | 1,183 | ![]() |
Vogar | Suðurnes |
29 | Stykkishólmur | 1,108 | 1,173 | ![]() |
Stykkishólmur | Vesturland |
30 | Eskifjörður | 1,014 | 1,006 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
31 | Ólafsvík | 1,010 | 970 | ![]() |
Snæfellsbær | Vesturland |
32 | Hvolsvöllur | 902 | 931 | ![]() |
Rangárþing eystra | Suðurland |
33 | Bolungarvík | 894 | 924 | ![]() |
Bolungarvík | Vestfirðir |
34 | Hella | 784 | 861 | ![]() |
Rangárþing ytra | Suðurland |
35 | Grundarfjörður | 852 | 834 | ![]() |
Grundarfjarðarbær | Vesturland |
36 | Blönduós | 813 | 821 | ![]() |
Blönduósbær | Norðurland vestra |
37 | Ólafsfjörður | 790 | 791 | ![]() |
Fjallabyggð | Norðurland eystra |
38 | Fáskrúðsfjörður | 654 | 712 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
39 | Patreksfjörður | 651 | 677 | ![]() |
Vesturbyggð | Vestfirðir |
40 | Seyðisfjörður | 658 | 663 | ![]() |
Múlaþing | Austurland |
41 | Grundarhverfi | 528 | 587 | ![]() |
Reykjavík | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
42 | Hvammstangi | 546 | 578 | ![]() |
Húnaþing vestra | Norðurland vestra |
43 | Stokkseyri | 465 | 528 | ![]() |
Árborg | Suðurland |
44 | Eyrarbakki | 531 | 526 | ![]() |
Árborg | Suðurland |
45 | Vopnafjörður | 543 | 526 | ![]() |
Vopnafjarðarhreppur | Austurland |
46 | Skagaströnd | 501 | 477 | ![]() |
Skagaströnd | Norðurland vestra |
47 | Flúðir | 420 | 432 | ![]() |
Hrunamannahreppur | Suðurland |
48 | Vík | 276 | 402 | ![]() |
Mýrdalshreppur | Suðurland |
49 | Fellabær | 403 | 395 | ![]() |
Múlaþing | Austurland |
50 | Hellissandur | 389 | 365 | ![]() |
Snæfellsbær | Vesturland |
51 | Djúpivogur | 348 | 357 | ![]() |
Múlaþing | Austurland |
52 | Þórshöfn | 379 | 352 | ![]() |
Langanesbyggð | Norðurland eystra |
53 | Svalbarðseyri | 271 | 337 | ![]() |
Svalbarðsstrandarhreppur | Norðurland eystra |
54 | Hólmavík | 391 | 320 | ![]() |
Strandabyggð | Vestfirðir |
55 | Grenivík | 278 | 297 | ![]() |
Grýtubakkahreppur | Norðurland eystra |
56 | Hvanneyri | 251 | 285 | ![]() |
Borgarbyggð | Vesturland |
57 | Þingeyri | 262 | 276 | ![]() |
Ísafjarðarbær | Vestfirðir |
58 | Búðardalur | 252 | 272 | ![]() |
Dalabyggð | Vesturland |
59 | Reykholt | 206 | 270 | ![]() |
Bláskógabyggð | Suðurland |
60 | Hrafnagil | 263 | 257 | ![]() |
Eyjafjarðarsveit | Norðurland eystra |
61 | Suðureyri | 264 | 257 | ![]() |
Ísafjarðarbær | Vestfirðir |
62 | Tálknafjörður | 275 | 231 | ![]() |
Tálknafjarðarhreppur | Vestfirðir |
63 | Bíldudalur | 170 | 225 | ![]() |
Vesturbyggð | Vestfirðir |
64 | Mosfellsdalur | 203 | 224 | ![]() |
Mosfellsbær | Höfuðborgarsvæðið |
65 | Hnífsdalur | 216 | 208 | ![]() |
Ísafjarðarbær | Vestfirðir |
66 | Reykjahlíð | 153 | 208 | ![]() |
Skútustaðahreppur | Norðurland eystra |
67 | Laugarvatn | 147 | 191 | ![]() |
Bláskógabyggð | Suðurland |
68 | Raufarhöfn | 169 | 186 | ![]() |
Norðurþing | Norðurland eystra |
69 | Stöðvarfjörður | 189 | 184 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
70 | Bifröst | 246 | 179 | ![]() |
Borgarbyggð | Vesturland |
71 | Flateyri | 199 | 177 | ![]() |
Ísafjarðarbær | Vestfirðir |
72 | Kirkjubæjarklaustur | 119 | 176 | ![]() |
Skaftárhreppur | Suðurland |
73 | Súðavík | 145 | 157 | ![]() |
Súðavíkurhreppur | Vestfirðir |
74 | Hrísey | 171 | 151 | ![]() |
Akureyri | Norðurland eystra |
75 | Hofsós | 181 | 147 | ![]() |
Skagafjörður | Norðurland vestra |
76 | Breiðdalsvík | 130 | 137 | ![]() |
Fjarðabyggð | Austurland |
77 | Rif | 163 | 135 | ![]() |
Snæfellsbær | Vesturland |
78 | Reykhólar | 133 | 130 | ![]() |
Reykhólahreppur | Vestfirðir |
79 | Varmahlíð | 128 | 127 | ![]() |
Skagafjörður | Norðurland vestra |
80 | Kópasker | 122 | 122 | ![]() |
Norðurþing | Norðurland eystra |
81 | Laugarás | 106 | 116 | ![]() |
Bláskógabyggð | Suðurland |
82 | Borg | 75 | 112 | ![]() |
Grafningshreppur | Suðurland |
83 | Hauganes | 105 | 111 | ![]() |
Dalvíkurbyggð | Norðurland eystra |
84 | Hafnir | 76 | 110 | ![]() |
Reykjanesbær | Suðurnes |
85 | Laugar | 111 | 109 | ![]() |
Þingeyjarsveit | Norðurland eystra |
86 | Melahverfi | 115 | 107 | ![]() |
Hvalfjarðarsveit | Vesturland |
87 | Tjarnabyggð | 81 | 106 | ![]() |
Árborg | Suðurland |
88 | Árskógssandur | 112 | 102 | ![]() |
Dalvíkurbyggð | Norðurland eystra |
89 | Lónsbakki | 104 | 102 | ![]() |
Hörgársveit | Norðurland eystra |
90 | Hólar | 78 | 94 | ![]() |
Skagafjörður | Norðurland vestra |
91 | Nesjahverfi | 71 | 92 | ![]() |
Hornafjörður | Austurland |
92 | Sólheimar | 95 | 91 | ![]() |
Grafningshreppur | Suðurland |
93 | Brúnahlíð | 62 | 85 | ![]() |
Eyjafjarðarsveit | Norðurland eystra |
94 | Drangsnes | 69 | 77 | ![]() |
Kaldrananeshreppur | Vestfirðir |
95 | Borgarfjörður eystri | 86 | 76 | ![]() |
Borgarfjarðarhreppur | Austurland |
96 | Árbæjarhverfi | 54 | 74 | ![]() |
Ölfus | Suðurland |
97 | Brautarholt | 54 | 70 | ![]() |
Gnúpverjahreppur | Suðurland |
98 | Rauðalækur | 36 | 68 | ![]() |
Rangárþing ytra | Suðurland |
99 | Bakkafjörður | 78 | 65 | ![]() |
Langanesbyggð | Norðurland eystra |
100 | Innnes | 56 | 65 | ![]() |
Hvalfjarðarsveit | Vesturland |
101 | Grímsey | 76 | 61 | ![]() |
Akureyri | Norðurland eystra |
102 | Þykkvabær | 53 | 59 | ![]() |
Rangárþing ytra | Suðurland |
103 | Laugarbakki | 48 | 57 | ![]() |
Húnaþing vestra | Norðurland vestra |
104 | Reykholt | 36 | 56 | ![]() |
Borgarbyggð | Vesturland |
105 | Árnes | 37 | 53 | ![]() |
Gnúpverjahreppur | Suðurland |
106 | Kristnes | 56 | 52 | ![]() |
Eyjafjarðarsveit | Norðurland eystra |
107 | Kleppjárnsreykir | 51 | 43 | ![]() |
Borgarbyggð | Vesturland |
More About Iceland's Geography
- Government of Iceland
- Administrative divisions of Iceland
- Regions of Iceland
- Municipalities of Iceland
- Largest metropolitan areas in the Nordic countries