Signau: population and statistics
Signau has a population of 2,684 (2025) across 22.1 km², or 121 people per km². It ranks 798 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −0.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,684 residents
- 22.1 km²
- 121 people/km²
- 686 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Signau ranks No. 102 by population.
Wood heating systems: 53.0% in Signau, compared with an average of 14.7% in Bern and 9.3% nationally.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: 38.0 in Signau, compared with an average of 62.6 in Bern and 83.6 nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,209 kWh a year here.
Signau in numbers
Where is Signau?
Population of Signau over time
Signau had 2,697 residents in 2015 and 2,684 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,594 |
| 2021 | 2,627 |
| 2022 | 2,652 |
| 2023 | 2,664 |
| 2024 | 2,698 |
| 2025 | 2,684 |
Did you know?
- “Wood heating systems”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,095 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Bowil, 4.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Langnau im Emmental (9,645 residents), 5.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,836 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Signau
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 | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.1% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 268 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,436 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 804 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 51.7% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 101 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 7.5% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,746 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 48.8% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,662 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 33.5% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,554 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.1% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,499 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 53.0% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 46 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.3% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 910 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 114 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 961 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,625 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 419 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 35.0 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 568 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 13,033 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 408 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 222 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 697 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 102 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,145 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 38.0 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,774 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 65.7% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 904 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 24.5% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 1,310 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 996 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 823 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 371.1 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 874 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 31.9% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,736 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 41.9% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 258 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Signau | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.7% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,737 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Signau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Signau?
Signau has 2,684 residents (2025), ranking 798 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Signau?
Signau covers 22.1 km², with a density of 121 people per km².
Is the population of Signau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Signau went from 2,697 to 2,684, a change of −0.5%.
Where is Signau?
Signau is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Emmental (district). Latitude 46.922, longitude 7.727.
Wood heating systems: what is the figure for Signau?
In Signau, “Wood heating systems” stands at 53.0% (2026), ranking 46 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 12.4%.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Signau?
In Signau, “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 38.0 (2026), ranking 1,774 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 64.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Signau?
In Signau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,209 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Signau?
The nearest to Signau are Bowil (4.0 km), Oberthal (4.6 km), Arni (BE) (4.9 km), Langnau im Emmental (5.1 km), Lauperswil (5.1 km).