Meiringen: population and statistics
Meiringen has a population of 4,791 (2025) across 40.6 km², or 118 people per km². It ranks 461 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,791 residents
- 40.6 km²
- 118 people/km²
- 602 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Meiringen ranks No. 46 by population.
District heating: 13.7% in Meiringen, compared with an average of 5.7% in Bern and 7.3% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 36° generates about 1,103 kWh a year here.
Meiringen in numbers
Where is Meiringen?
Population of Meiringen over time
Meiringen had 4,737 residents in 2015 and 4,791 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,666 |
| 2021 | 4,653 |
| 2022 | 4,656 |
| 2023 | 4,798 |
| 2024 | 4,814 |
| 2025 | 4,791 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,690 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Schattenhalb, 1.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sarnen (10,906 residents), 19 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,412 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Meiringen
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 | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.5% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 346 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 3,080 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 358 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 25.2% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 792 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 16.8% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,433 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 58.4% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,435 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 37.4% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,438 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 25.3% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 369 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 21.8% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 466 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 13.7% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 160 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 150 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 733 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 672.8 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,511 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 44.9 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 395 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 9,376 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 902 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 421 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 332 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 339 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 445 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 70.8 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 675 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) | 26.5% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 1,127 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 2,864 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 347 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 597.8 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 321 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 76.0% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 442 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 19.0% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,151 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Meiringen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 21.2% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 724 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Meiringen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Meiringen?
Meiringen has 4,791 residents (2025), ranking 461 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Meiringen?
Meiringen covers 40.6 km², with a density of 118 people per km².
Is the population of Meiringen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Meiringen went from 4,737 to 4,791, a change of +1.1%.
Where is Meiringen?
Meiringen is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Interlaken-Oberhasli (district). Latitude 46.727, longitude 8.187.
District heating: what is the figure for Meiringen?
In Meiringen, “District heating” stands at 13.7% (2026), ranking 160 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Establishments: what is the figure for Meiringen?
In Meiringen, “Establishments” stands at 421 (2024), ranking 332 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Meiringen?
In Meiringen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 36° produces about 1,103 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Meiringen?
The nearest to Meiringen are Schattenhalb (1.3 km), Hasliberg (1.8 km), Innertkirchen (4.7 km), Lungern (7.0 km), Brienzwiler (7.0 km).