Gurzelen: population and statistics
Gurzelen has a population of 870 (2025) across 4.5 km², or 193 people per km². It ranks 1,545 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 870 residents
- 4.5 km²
- 193 people/km²
- 616 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Gurzelen ranks No. 214 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 2.6% in Gurzelen, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: 40.2 in Gurzelen, compared with an average of 62.6 in Bern and 83.6 nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,233 kWh a year here.
Gurzelen in numbers
Where is Gurzelen?
Population of Gurzelen over time
Gurzelen had 855 residents in 2015 and 870 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 884 |
| 2021 | 892 |
| 2022 | 889 |
| 2023 | 898 |
| 2024 | 876 |
| 2025 | 870 |
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in services”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 630 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Seftigen (2,175 residents), 1.0 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,932 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Gurzelen
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 | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.9% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 1,411 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 406 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,633 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 45.3% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 173 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 16.3% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,451 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 58.0% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,441 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 45.1% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,204 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 11.6% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,084 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 35.4% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 176 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 6.5% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 382 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 55 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,504 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,297 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 713 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 10.2 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,546 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 11,701 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 549 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 60 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,604 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 35 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,743 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 40.2 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,753 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 65.7% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 904 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 28.6% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 939 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 152 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,743 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 174.7 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,650 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 33.5% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,710 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 11.8% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,478 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Gurzelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.6% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,802 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Gurzelen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gurzelen?
Gurzelen has 870 residents (2025), ranking 1,545 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Gurzelen?
Gurzelen covers 4.5 km², with a density of 193 people per km².
Is the population of Gurzelen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Gurzelen went from 855 to 870, a change of +1.8%.
Where is Gurzelen?
Gurzelen is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Thun (district). Latitude 46.781, longitude 7.531.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Gurzelen?
In Gurzelen, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 2.6% (2025), ranking 1,802 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Gurzelen?
In Gurzelen, “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 40.2 (2026), ranking 1,753 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 64.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Gurzelen?
In Gurzelen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,233 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Gurzelen?
The nearest to Gurzelen are Seftigen (1.0 km), Wattenwil (2.1 km), Burgistein (2.4 km), Uetendorf (3.2 km), Forst-Längenbühl (3.6 km).