Norway vs Sweden: Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked
Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked over time
- Norway
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 1,421 Hours per year per person against 1,386 Hours per year per person in Norway, a difference of 35 Hours per year per person.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 64 shared years of data; in 1962 it was Norway ahead.
Norway ranks 34th and Sweden ranks 32nd of 36 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Norway averaged higher in 4 and Sweden in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Norway | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,945 Hours per year per person | 1,645 Hours per year per person | 300.24 Hours per year per person | Norway |
| 1970s | 1,703 Hours per year per person | 1,464 Hours per year per person | 239.51 Hours per year per person | Norway |
| 1980s | 1,532 Hours per year per person | 1,399 Hours per year per person | 133.47 Hours per year per person | Norway |
| 1990s | 1,483 Hours per year per person | 1,465 Hours per year per person | 17.51 Hours per year per person | Norway |
| 2000s | 1,422 Hours per year per person | 1,459 Hours per year per person | 37.17 Hours per year per person | Sweden |
| 2010s | 1,411 Hours per year per person | 1,470 Hours per year per person | 59.35 Hours per year per person | Sweden |
| 2020s | 1,394 Hours per year per person | 1,431 Hours per year per person | 37.15 Hours per year per person | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked, Norway or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 1,421 Hours per year per person against 1,386 Hours per year per person in Norway as of 2025.
- What is the difference in average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked between Norway and Sweden?
- 35 Hours per year per person, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Norway and Sweden?
- 64 years are reported by both, from 1962 to 2025.
- How do Norway and Sweden rank globally for average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked?
- Norway ranks 34th and Sweden ranks 32nd of 36 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The concept used is the total number of hours worked over the year divided by the average number of people in employment. The data are intended for comparisons of trends over time; they are unsuitable for comparisons of the level of average annual hours of work for a given year, because of differences in their sources. Part-time workers are covered as well as full-time workers. Detailed notes and sources can be found in LFS_NOTES_SOURCES. In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.