Melchnau: population and statistics
Melchnau has a population of 1,485 (2025) across 10.3 km², or 144 people per km². It ranks 1,177 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −4.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,485 residents
- 10.3 km²
- 144 people/km²
- 535 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Melchnau ranks No. 155 by population.
District heating: 20.9% in Melchnau, compared with an average of 5.7% in Bern and 7.3% nationally.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 51.4% in Melchnau, compared with an average of 64.8% in Bern and 68.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,170 kWh a year here.
Melchnau in numbers
Where is Melchnau?
Population of Melchnau over time
Melchnau had 1,557 residents in 2015 and 1,485 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,488 |
| 2021 | 1,492 |
| 2022 | 1,482 |
| 2023 | 1,542 |
| 2024 | 1,518 |
| 2025 | 1,485 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,440 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Busswil bei Melchnau, 1.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Madiswil (3,383 residents), 4.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,680 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Melchnau
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 | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.4% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 348 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 821 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,166 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 40.8% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 263 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 12.8% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,610 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 68.7% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 949 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 36.9% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,452 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 15.3% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 808 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 22.6% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 437 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 20.9% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 63 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 90 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,171 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,630 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 412 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 21.2 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 964 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 14,296 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 305 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 113 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,157 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 70 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,389 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 47.1 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,606 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 51.4% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,700 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 37.1% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 276 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 675 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,021 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 454.5 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 595 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 62.4% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 947 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 21.9% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 987 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Melchnau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 15.2% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,183 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Melchnau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Melchnau?
Melchnau has 1,485 residents (2025), ranking 1,177 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Melchnau?
Melchnau covers 10.3 km², with a density of 144 people per km².
Is the population of Melchnau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Melchnau went from 1,557 to 1,485, a change of −4.6%.
Where is Melchnau?
Melchnau is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Oberaargau (district). Latitude 47.183, longitude 7.853.
District heating: what is the figure for Melchnau?
In Melchnau, “District heating” stands at 20.9% (2026), ranking 63 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Melchnau?
In Melchnau, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 51.4% (2026), ranking 1,700 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Melchnau?
In Melchnau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,170 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Melchnau?
The nearest to Melchnau are Busswil bei Melchnau (1.5 km), Reisiswil (1.9 km), Altbüron (2.3 km), Grossdietwil (2.7 km), Roggliswil (4.0 km).