Kappelen: population and statistics
Kappelen has a population of 1,413 (2025) across 11.0 km², or 129 people per km². It ranks 1,219 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,413 residents
- 11.0 km²
- 129 people/km²
- 447 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Kappelen ranks No. 157 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 5.6% in Kappelen, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: 17,021 kWh/inh. in Kappelen, compared with an average of 8,535 kWh/inh. in Bern and 7,100 kWh/inh. nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,222 kWh a year here.
Kappelen in numbers
Where is Kappelen?
Population of Kappelen over time
Kappelen had 1,350 residents in 2015 and 1,413 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,420 |
| 2021 | 1,407 |
| 2022 | 1,407 |
| 2023 | 1,404 |
| 2024 | 1,409 |
| 2025 | 1,413 |
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,536 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Bühl, 1.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Aarberg (4,601 residents), 1.8 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,888 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Kappelen
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 | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.0% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 849 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 700 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,279 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 31.3% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 546 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 30.9% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 541 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 66.4% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,072 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 52.6% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 940 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 18.4% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 627 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 21.1% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 502 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.8% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 1,115 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 86 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,202 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,557 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 483 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 24.1 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 873 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 17,021 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 160 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 129 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,068 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 92 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,217 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 65.1 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 893 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 66.3% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 848 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 30.4% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 773 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 740 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 982 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 523.7 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 447 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 40.8% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,583 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 44.9% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 197 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Kappelen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.6% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,745 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Kappelen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kappelen?
Kappelen has 1,413 residents (2025), ranking 1,219 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Kappelen?
Kappelen covers 11.0 km², with a density of 129 people per km².
Is the population of Kappelen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kappelen went from 1,350 to 1,413, a change of +4.7%.
Where is Kappelen?
Kappelen is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Seeland (district). Latitude 47.061, longitude 7.268.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Kappelen?
In Kappelen, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 5.6% (2025), ranking 1,745 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: what is the figure for Kappelen?
In Kappelen, “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant” stands at 17,021 kWh/inh. (2026), ranking 160 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 9,356 kWh/inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kappelen?
In Kappelen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,222 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kappelen?
The nearest to Kappelen are Bühl (1.5 km), Aarberg (1.8 km), Bargen (BE) (2.3 km), Walperswil (2.7 km), Merzligen (2.9 km).