Aarau: population and statistics
Aarau has a population of 22,932 (2025) across 12.3 km², or 1,858 people per km². It ranks 43 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 22,932 residents
- 12.3 km²
- 1,858 people/km²
- 389 m
Key points
Among the 197 municipalities in Aargau, Aarau ranks No. 2 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,156 kWh a year here.
Aarau in numbers
Where is Aarau?
Population of Aarau over time
Aarau had 20,710 residents in 2015 and 22,932 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 21,726 |
| 2021 | 21,773 |
| 2022 | 21,807 |
| 2023 | 22,290 |
| 2024 | 22,710 |
| 2025 | 22,932 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Aargau for “Photovoltaic installations”.
- Number 1 in Aargau for “Rooftop solar electricity potential”.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Jobs”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,728 football pitches.
- Its population density is 8.0 times the national average.
All indicators for Aarau
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.4% | 19.5% | 20.7% | ranked 1,322 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 12,725 | 355,613 | 4,927,050 | ranked 38 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 25.9% | 16.6% | 23.3% | ranked 754 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 25.1% | 30.9% | 25.3% | ranked 914 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 59.4% | 70.4% | 69.5% | ranked 1,388 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 67.2% | 66.6% | 53.5% | ranked 444 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 21.7% | 11.6% | 13.7% | ranked 492 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 2.4% | 8.3% | 12.4% | ranked 1,667 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 6.3% | 6.5% | 1.4% | ranked 392 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 548 | 26,039 | 329,600 | ranked 69 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 674.2 kW | 997.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,507 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 123.1 GWh/year | 5,431 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 50 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 5,367 kWh/inh. | 7,302 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,628 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 2,737 | 47,193 | 728,011 | ranked 23 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 2,277 | 46,143 | 762,757 | ranked 40 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 99.3 | 62.0 | 64.9 | ranked 205 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 72.3% | 66.6% | 65.7% | ranked 356 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 20.9% | 29.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,552 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 36,655 | 364,295 | 5,679,518 | ranked 15 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1,598 | 489.8 | 362.9 | ranked 18 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 91.6% | 69.1% | 63.6% | ranked 52 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 8.3% | 26.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,626 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Aarau | Aargau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 23.5% | 28.1% | 18.9% | ranked 596 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Aarau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Aarau?
Aarau has 22,932 residents (2025), ranking 43 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Aarau?
Aarau covers 12.3 km², with a density of 1,858 people per km².
Is the population of Aarau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Aarau went from 20,710 to 22,932, a change of +10.7%.
Where is Aarau?
Aarau is in Aargau. It belongs to Bezirk Aarau (district). Latitude 47.392, longitude 8.045.
Establishments: what is the figure for Aarau?
In Aarau, “Establishments” stands at 2,737 (2024), ranking 23 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
Jobs: what is the figure for Aarau?
In Aarau, “Jobs” stands at 36,655 (2024), ranking 15 of 2,111 municipalities; the national median is 622.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Aarau?
In Aarau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,156 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Aarau?
The nearest to Aarau are Eppenberg-Wöschnau (2.3 km), Buchs (AG) (2.3 km), Erlinsbach (AG) (2.6 km), Unterentfelden (2.6 km), Küttigen (2.7 km).