Pieterlen: population and statistics
Pieterlen has a population of 5,255 (2025) across 8.3 km², or 633 people per km². It ranks 407 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +30.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 5,255 residents
- 8.3 km²
- 633 people/km²
- 435 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Pieterlen ranks No. 40 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 32.9% in Pieterlen, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: 6,088 kWh/inh. in Pieterlen, compared with an average of 8,535 kWh/inh. in Bern and 7,100 kWh/inh. nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,212 kWh a year here.
Pieterlen in numbers
Where is Pieterlen?
Population of Pieterlen over time
Pieterlen had 4,034 residents in 2015 and 5,255 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,784 |
| 2021 | 4,953 |
| 2022 | 5,059 |
| 2023 | 5,168 |
| 2024 | 5,216 |
| 2025 | 5,255 |
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,162 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Romont (BE), 1.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Grenchen (18,973 residents), 4.7 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,848 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Pieterlen
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 | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.1% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 1,510 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,512 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 473 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 18.9% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 1,124 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 32.8% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 436 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 66.5% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,064 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 62.0% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 626 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 11.1% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,127 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 9.2% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 1,114 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 7.4% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 332 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 178 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 610 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 919.5 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,219 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 32.0 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 628 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 6,088 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,529 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 237 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 646 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 272 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 560 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 51.8 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,465 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 68.8% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 611 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 29.0% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 897 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,379 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 651 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 262.4 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,319 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 67.0% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 774 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 30.5% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 604 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Pieterlen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 32.9% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 196 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Pieterlen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pieterlen?
Pieterlen has 5,255 residents (2025), ranking 407 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Pieterlen?
Pieterlen covers 8.3 km², with a density of 633 people per km².
Is the population of Pieterlen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Pieterlen went from 4,034 to 5,255, a change of +30.3%.
Where is Pieterlen?
Pieterlen is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne (district). Latitude 47.175, longitude 7.339.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Pieterlen?
In Pieterlen, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 32.9% (2025), ranking 196 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: what is the figure for Pieterlen?
In Pieterlen, “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant” stands at 6,088 kWh/inh. (2026), ranking 1,529 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 9,356 kWh/inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Pieterlen?
In Pieterlen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,212 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Pieterlen?
The nearest to Pieterlen are Romont (BE) (1.7 km), Meinisberg (1.9 km), Lengnau (BE) (2.2 km), Safnern (3.1 km), Sauge (3.2 km).