Norwegians' Finances in 2025. Income Growth Not Enough: Dentist Out of Reach

The data indicates that 8 percent of respondents rate their financial situation as difficult. Statistics Norway emphasizes that the percentage of people with a limited budget has decreased compared to 2024, but still remains high.

At the same time, 20 percent of residents report lacking at least one material good, and 13 percent lack a social good. This is more than in 2015, when the lack of material goods affected 13 percent and social goods 9 percent. The increase in household income in 2025 may have mitigated the effects of persistently high prices and loan costs.

Although the scale of financial problems in society is slightly decreasing, the differences between groups are clear. The lack of funds is most often declared by single people under the age of 45 and single parents. In the latter group, almost half of respondents report lacking at least one material good, although the decrease compared to 2024 is not statistically significant.

Fewer problems are reported by couples over 45 without children. Among singles aged 25–44, as many as 41 percent declare a lack of funds for basic goods.

Housing costs remain a significant burden. The percentage of people who describe them as very burdensome has increased from about 5 percent in 2011–2020 to 9 percent in 2025. This is felt most strongly by people aged 25–44, 12 percent of whom consider housing expenses particularly heavy.

This group is more likely to face high loan installments and expensive rentals. Seniors over the age of 67 report much less burden—only 4 percent declare difficulties related to housing costs.

Credit card debt is also becoming an increasing challenge. About 3 percent of households have problems repaying it, and 19 percent consider such obligations burdensome. This is most often indicated by people aged 25–44, 32 percent of whom rate consumer credit as difficult to bear.

At the same time, the number of people who cannot afford dental treatment is rising. In 2025, this affects 8 percent of residents, or 355,000 people. Most reports come from adults aged 25–44, among whom this rate has doubled in the past decade.

The collected data shows that although economic pressure in Norway is beginning to ease slightly, many groups—especially singles and young adults—still face financial constraints. In the coming years, it will be important to monitor changes in the cost of living and state actions to better assess how they affect the everyday economic security of residents.