Bowil: population and statistics
Bowil has a population of 1,316 (2025) across 14.7 km², or 89.6 people per km². It ranks 1,266 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −3.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,316 residents
- 14.7 km²
- 90 people/km²
- 738 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Bowil ranks No. 165 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 2.9% in Bowil, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
Wood heating systems: 54.2% in Bowil, compared with an average of 14.7% in Bern and 9.3% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,178 kWh a year here.
Bowil in numbers
Where is Bowil?
Population of Bowil over time
Bowil had 1,370 residents in 2015 and 1,316 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,354 |
| 2021 | 1,353 |
| 2022 | 1,338 |
| 2023 | 1,310 |
| 2024 | 1,293 |
| 2025 | 1,316 |
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Wood heating systems”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,057 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Zäziwil, 2.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Signau (2,684 residents), 4.0 km away.
All indicators for Bowil
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 | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.7% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 911 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 686 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,293 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 53.2% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 88 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 7.9% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,740 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 53.1% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,590 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 32.2% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,581 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 8.3% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,378 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 54.2% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 40 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 3.0% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 647 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 54 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,514 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 640.4 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,550 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 17.2 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,135 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 13,108 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 399 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 119 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,123 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 71 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,380 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 54.0 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,375 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 66.2% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 852 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 29.6% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 850 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 413 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,266 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 313.8 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,098 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 35.4% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,684 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 33.4% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 499 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Bowil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.9% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,798 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Bowil
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bowil?
Bowil has 1,316 residents (2025), ranking 1,266 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Bowil?
Bowil covers 14.7 km², with a density of 90 people per km².
Is the population of Bowil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bowil went from 1,370 to 1,316, a change of −3.9%.
Where is Bowil?
Bowil is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Bern-Mittelland (district). Latitude 46.892, longitude 7.695.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Bowil?
In Bowil, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 2.9% (2025), ranking 1,798 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Wood heating systems: what is the figure for Bowil?
In Bowil, “Wood heating systems” stands at 54.2% (2026), ranking 40 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 12.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bowil?
In Bowil, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,178 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bowil?
The nearest to Bowil are Zäziwil (2.3 km), Oberhünigen (3.1 km), Oberthal (3.4 km), Mirchel (3.7 km), Signau (4.0 km).