Halmstad

Halmstad is Sweden's 18th largest municipality with around 100 000 inhabitants. Located between Oslo and Copenhagen, well communicated and with a port for freight transports. Halmstad is well connected by train, Copenhagen is two hours away, and Gothenburg can be reached in one hour.

The favourable location of Halmstad on the west coast allows business to develop and tourism to thrive. Halmstad’s biggest employers are the municipal council and the County council. Trade and tourism are also major sectors. Other major employers include the Armed Forces, Halmstad University and companies like Albany Nordiska Filt and Getinge Sterilisation.

Trade and industry in Halmstad are on the increase and sector-diverse and with many small and mid-sized companies. Halmstad also has one of Sweden’s biggest ports for timber export and a renowned university with 10,000 students’ main faculties are Innovation (engineering), Information and Health and lifestyle.

Halmstad is a growing city and one of the most expansive cities in the country in the last 50 years. The municipal council wants to develop Halmstad as a hometown, a city of knowledge and a city for experiences. The vision is summarised in the 3 hearts: ‘We are a city where people grow and develop with lifelong learning with the creativity, entrepreneurship and innovative thinking’. Thus, knowledge is always present in the local policies.

Swedish cities are responsible for pre-school, primary and lower secondary education -9-year compulsory school-, high schools, alternative colleges, adult education, schools for people with special needs, and regular colleges. The municipality also co-finances the University of Halmstad.

Education is the highest share of the municipal budget in the city and, as the rest of the municipal expenses is financed by income tax, largely collected and decided at the municipal level. Halmstad is also well known to have the best beaches in Sweden, below is the beach of Tylösand.