The town is expected to grow in the coming years because of an increase in industrial activity and improvements in transportation to the Reykjavík area.

Akranes was the birthplace of the Atom poet Jón Óskar, the writer Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and footballers Ríkharður Jónsson and Arnór Sigurðsson.

The local team, Íþróttabandalag Akraness (ÍA), which currently plays in the Úrvalsdeild karla, has for many years been among the best of the Icelandic football league system.

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal midfielder Siggi Jónsson was also born in Akranes and had three seasons as a player with ÍA.

Akranes has a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc; Trewartha: Eolo), with temperatures rising above 10 °C (50 °F) only in July and August.