Gals: population and statistics
Gals has a population of 878 (2025) across 7.8 km², or 112 people per km². It ranks 1,537 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +12.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 878 residents
- 7.8 km²
- 112 people/km²
- 445 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Gals ranks No. 211 by population.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: 17,551 kWh/inh. in Gals, compared with an average of 8,535 kWh/inh. in Bern and 7,100 kWh/inh. nationally.
Share of jobs in industry and construction: 8.5% in Gals, compared with an average of 22.5% in Bern and 22.0% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,244 kWh a year here.
Gals in numbers
Where is Gals?
Population of Gals over time
Gals had 780 residents in 2015 and 878 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 828 |
| 2021 | 839 |
| 2022 | 851 |
| 2023 | 838 |
| 2024 | 849 |
| 2025 | 878 |
Did you know?
- “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in industry and construction”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,097 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.1 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Gampelen, 1.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Cornaux (1,684 residents), 2.5 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,976 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Gals
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 | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.4% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 1,145 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 454 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,578 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 35.6% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 395 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 21.5% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,150 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 67.1% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,037 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 54.5% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 881 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 18.0% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 661 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 12.9% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 878 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 10.7% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 218 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 83 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,229 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,947 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 241 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 15.4 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,221 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 17,551 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 145 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 69 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,511 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 65 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,441 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 74.0 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 598 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 64.6% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 996 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 27.7% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 1,025 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 635 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,044 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 723.2 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 188 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 69.1% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 690 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 8.5% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,620 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Gals | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 15.5% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,160 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Gals
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gals?
Gals has 878 residents (2025), ranking 1,537 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Gals?
Gals covers 7.8 km², with a density of 112 people per km².
Is the population of Gals growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Gals went from 780 to 878, a change of +12.6%.
Where is Gals?
Gals is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Seeland (district). Latitude 47.027, longitude 7.049.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: what is the figure for Gals?
In Gals, “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant” stands at 17,551 kWh/inh. (2026), ranking 145 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 9,356 kWh/inh..
Share of jobs in industry and construction: what is the figure for Gals?
In Gals, “Share of jobs in industry and construction” stands at 8.5% (2024), ranking 1,620 of 1,776 municipalities; the national median is 24.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Gals?
In Gals, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,244 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Gals?
The nearest to Gals are Gampelen (1.6 km), Tschugg (2.2 km), Cornaux (2.5 km), Cressier (NE) (2.8 km), Le Landeron (3.5 km).