St. Stephan: population and statistics
St. Stephan has a population of 1,316 (2025) across 60.9 km², or 21.6 people per km². It ranks 1,266 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,316 residents
- 60.9 km²
- 22 people/km²
- 1,259 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, St. Stephan ranks No. 166 by population.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: 5.5% in St. Stephan, compared with an average of 17.2% in Bern and 24.6% nationally.
Wood heating systems: 51.1% in St. Stephan, compared with an average of 14.7% in Bern and 9.3% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,209 kWh a year here.
St. Stephan in numbers
Where is St. Stephan?
Population of St. Stephan over time
St. Stephan had 1,340 residents in 2015 and 1,316 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,310 |
| 2021 | 1,305 |
| 2022 | 1,319 |
| 2023 | 1,315 |
| 2024 | 1,326 |
| 2025 | 1,316 |
Did you know?
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Wood heating systems”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,529 football pitches.
- Its population density is 10.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Zweisimmen (3,083 residents), 5.7 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 St. Stephan
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 | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.1% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 280 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,183 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 940 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 52.9% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 90 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 5.5% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,775 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 41.5% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,739 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 30.4% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,629 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 5.8% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,610 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 51.1% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 56 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 2.2% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 753 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 76 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 1,292 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,208 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 822 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 29.4 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 691 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 22,371 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 55 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 160 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 921 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 76 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,342 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 57.8 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,213 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 48.7% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,741 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 42.1% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 112 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 658 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,032 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 500.0 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 488 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 35.3% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,685 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 30.1% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 622 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | St. Stephan | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 9.2% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,585 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: St. Stephan
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of St. Stephan?
St. Stephan has 1,316 residents (2025), ranking 1,266 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is St. Stephan?
St. Stephan covers 60.9 km², with a density of 22 people per km².
Is the population of St. Stephan growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of St. Stephan went from 1,340 to 1,316, a change of −1.8%.
Where is St. Stephan?
St. Stephan is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Obersimmental-Saanen (district). Latitude 46.500, longitude 7.383.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: what is the figure for St. Stephan?
In St. Stephan, “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001” stands at 5.5% (2026), ranking 1,775 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 25.3%.
Wood heating systems: what is the figure for St. Stephan?
In St. Stephan, “Wood heating systems” stands at 51.1% (2026), ranking 56 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 12.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in St. Stephan?
In St. Stephan, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,209 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border St. Stephan?
The nearest to St. Stephan are Zweisimmen (5.7 km), Lenk (6.8 km), Saanen (9.1 km), Lauenen (11 km), Rougemont (13 km).