Bern: population and statistics
Bern has a population of 138,562 (2025) across 51.6 km², or 2,684 people per km². It ranks 5 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 138,562 residents
- 51.6 km²
- 2,684 people/km²
- 547 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Bern ranks No. 1 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,244 kWh a year here.
Bern in numbers
Where is Bern?
Population of Bern over time
Bern had 131,554 residents in 2015 and 138,562 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 134,794 |
| 2021 | 134,290 |
| 2022 | 134,506 |
| 2023 | 136,988 |
| 2024 | 137,995 |
| 2025 | 138,562 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Bern for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Bern for “Dwellings”.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Photovoltaic installations”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,230 football pitches.
- Its population density is 11.6 times the national average.
All indicators for Bern
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 | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.3% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 1,478 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 83,402 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 4 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 41.5% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 246 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 8.0% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,735 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 31.1% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,780 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 77.1% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 156 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 10.2% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,216 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 3.4% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 1,586 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 7.9% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 307 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 1,261 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 10 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 331.9 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,758 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 561.0 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 2 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 4,049 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,751 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 15,152 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 4 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 11,418 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 7 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 82.4 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 397 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 68.4% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 643 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 24.3% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 1,324 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 202,014 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 2 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1,458 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 27 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 92.6% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 39 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 7.2% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,669 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Bern | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 25.9% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 489 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Bern
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bern?
Bern has 138,562 residents (2025), ranking 5 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Bern?
Bern covers 51.6 km², with a density of 2,684 people per km².
Is the population of Bern growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bern went from 131,554 to 138,562, a change of +5.3%.
Where is Bern?
Bern is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Bern-Mittelland (district). Latitude 46.948, longitude 7.447.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Bern?
In Bern, “Dwellings” stands at 83,402 (2026), ranking 4 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Bern?
In Bern, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 1,261 (2026), ranking 10 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bern?
In Bern, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,244 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bern?
The nearest to Bern are Ostermundigen (2.8 km), Bremgarten bei Bern (3.1 km), Muri bei Bern (3.5 km), Köniz (3.5 km), Ittigen (4.1 km).