Kandersteg: population and statistics
Kandersteg has a population of 1,298 (2025) across 134.5 km², or 9.7 people per km². It ranks 1,271 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,298 residents
- 134.5 km²
- 10 people/km²
- 1,176 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Kandersteg ranks No. 167 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 30.7% in Kandersteg, compared with an average of 22.7% in Bern and 19.8% nationally.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: 39.6% in Kandersteg, compared with an average of 54.1% in Bern and 56.9% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 33° generates about 1,103 kWh a year here.
Kandersteg in numbers
Where is Kandersteg?
Population of Kandersteg over time
Kandersteg had 1,314 residents in 2015 and 1,298 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,288 |
| 2021 | 1,269 |
| 2022 | 1,298 |
| 2023 | 1,308 |
| 2024 | 1,299 |
| 2025 | 1,298 |
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in services”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 18,838 football pitches.
- Its population density is 24.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kandergrund, 4.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Adelboden (3,438 residents), 8.9 km away.
All indicators for Kandersteg
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 | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 30.7% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 43 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,615 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 738 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 33.4% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 469 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 18.2% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,357 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 39.6% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,748 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 63.4% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 580 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.0% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,501 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 14.7% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 781 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 3.6% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 571 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 66 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,387 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,287 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 730 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 16.8 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,157 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 12,951 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 418 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 126 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,088 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 120 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,040 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 92.4 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 268 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 67.5% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 723 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 25.0% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 1,258 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 722 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 993 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 556.2 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 382 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 85.9% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 164 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 10.0% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,545 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Kandersteg | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 23.0% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 628 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Kandersteg
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kandersteg?
Kandersteg has 1,298 residents (2025), ranking 1,271 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Kandersteg?
Kandersteg covers 134.5 km², with a density of 10 people per km².
Is the population of Kandersteg growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kandersteg went from 1,314 to 1,298, a change of −1.2%.
Where is Kandersteg?
Kandersteg is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Frutigen-Niedersimmental (district). Latitude 46.496, longitude 7.674.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Kandersteg?
In Kandersteg, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 30.7% (2025), ranking 43 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 20.7%.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: what is the figure for Kandersteg?
In Kandersteg, “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings” stands at 39.6% (2026), ranking 1,748 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 69.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kandersteg?
In Kandersteg, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 33° produces about 1,103 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kandersteg?
The nearest to Kandersteg are Kandergrund (4.4 km), Adelboden (8.9 km), Frutigen (9.8 km), Reichenbach im Kandertal (10.0 km), Leukerbad (13 km).