Other villages in the municipality include Revsnes, Roan, Bessaker, Harsvika, and By.

Åfjord is located on the northwestern side of the Fosen peninsula, northwest of the city of Trondheim.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee.

[8] On 1 November 1980, the postal service changed the name of the municipal center from "Å i Åfjord" to "Årnes".

[9][10] The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Aa farm (Old Norse: Ár) since the first Åfjord Church was built there.

On 23 March 1895, a royal resolution approved the division of the municipality effective 1 January 1896.

[13][14] On 13 July 1934, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Åfjord.

The official blazon is "Azure, three terns volant argent" (Norwegian: I blått tre oppflyvende sølv terner, 2-1).

This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a group of three flying terns.

The bird design has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used.

The official blazon is "Azure, two boats argent issuant from sinister" (Norwegian: I blått to fremvoksende sølv båter).

This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is two boats coming out of the right side of the shield.

The boats have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if the arms are made out of metal, then silver is used.

It is said that the wooden boats were dragged over the thin Dragseid peninsula to shorten the journey and to avoid risking them in bad weather.

Up to the Middle Ages the Fosen peninsula was included as a part of the district of Nordmøre, immediately to the south.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Åfjord is made up of 27 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Here is a list of people who have held this position:[43] The people of Åfjord make their living from agriculture, forestry, fishing, transport (sea and land), aquaculture (fish and shellfish), construction, and services.

Traditionally, Åfjord has been an agricultural society, while Stoksund in the west has had a more of a fishing-based economy.