Hafnarfjörður at the top in cultural affairs
According to a new Gallup service survey, nine out of ten residents are satisfied with Hafnarfjörður as a place to live, or 91%. The figure is up on last year. The people of Hafnarfjörður are extremely satisfied with the facilities for sports and physical activity. They are also pleased with how the town addresses cultural matters. The town tops the list of the 20 largest municipalities.
Service in Hafnarfjörður improves year on year
Hafnarfjörður ranks highest of all municipalities in Gallup's service survey regarding how the municipality handles cultural affairs. All twelve service areas measured by Gallup for Hafnarfjörður have improved year-on-year, with the exception of one which remained unchanged.
It is clear that the people of Hafnarfjörður love their town, as they score highest when asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they are with the municipality as a place to live. The municipality of Hafnarfjörður is also above average in all the categories.
„This is a clear message from residents. That 91% are happy with Hafnarfjörður as a place to live tells us we are on the right track. It is an encouragement for us to continue to improve the service day by day,“ says Valdimar Víðisson, the mayor.
Satisfaction with Hafnarfjörður is increasing
The figures show that satisfaction among residents of Hafnarfjörður with their town as a place to live is increasing year on year. The total of very satisfied residents was 42% in 2021, 49% in 2023, and this year it is 55%.
„It is very pleasing to see satisfaction increase year on year. This shows that improvements in services and infrastructure are paying off. It also shows that the people of Hafnarfjörður are proud of their town and community,“ says Valdimar.
Planning matters are also on the rise. The number of those who are very satisfied with them has increased from 9% to 12% year-on-year. The number of those who are very dissatisfied has decreased from 7% to 5%. Clearly, 60% are satisfied or very satisfied with the planning matters.
Hafnarfjörður residents' satisfaction with primary school services is increasing. The number of very satisfied people increased by 16 per cent year-on-year and now stands at 21%. There are now 72% who are very satisfied or rather satisfied. Satisfaction with nursery schools has fallen slightly year-on-year, with 25% now very satisfied, down from 29% previously.
„Change often happens, and we made significant changes to the structure of the nursery day. Therefore, it even has an effect here while people get used to the new nursery day,“ says Valdimar.
Good sports facilities are important
Satisfaction with the sports facilities in Hafnarfjörður is still very high. 86% are very or fairly satisfied with them. „We want people of all ages to find it easy to be active and to take part in a vibrant sports and leisure activities. This area has been well managed in recent years, and we intend to continue on that journey,“ says Valdimar.
In total, 64% are very or rather satisfied with the service for older people and 60% with the service for disabled people in the municipality. „It is positive that Hafnarfjörður scores above average in services for older people and people with disabilities. In these areas, as well as others, there are opportunities for improvement. We are going to analyse the results and see where we can do better,“ says Valdimar.
Residents' satisfaction with the rubbish collection remains static year-on-year, with 64% being fairly or very satisfied, while 19% are fairly or very dissatisfied.
Hafnarfjörður ranks second to third among the twenty largest municipalities, just above the next four, which all score the same.
About the Gallup Poll
Gallup conducts an annual service survey among the country's twenty largest municipalities, asking about attitudes towards the municipalities' services in various areas, based on both experience and opinion.
The survey was conducted from 17 November 2025 to 13 January 2026. A total of 438 respondents aged 18 and over answered the survey here in Hafnarfjörður, a stratified random sample of 18- to 29-year-olds from the Gallup opinion panel.
The results provide an indication of residents' satisfaction with certain services, regardless of whether they use the service or not. At the same time, information is obtained about service areas that would be beneficial to examine in more detail. The results of the service survey were published at the town council meeting this morning..