Sumiswald: population and statistics
Sumiswald has a population of 5,234 (2025) across 59.4 km², or 88.1 people per km². It ranks 409 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 5,234 residents
- 59.4 km²
- 88 people/km²
- 691 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Sumiswald ranks No. 41 by population.
District heating: 25.6% in Sumiswald, compared with an average of 5.7% in Bern and 7.3% nationally.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: 49.2% in Sumiswald, compared with an average of 29.0% in Bern and 22.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,204 kWh a year here.
Sumiswald in numbers
Where is Sumiswald?
Population of Sumiswald over time
Sumiswald had 4,999 residents in 2015 and 5,234 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 5,044 |
| 2021 | 5,029 |
| 2022 | 5,038 |
| 2023 | 5,159 |
| 2024 | 5,209 |
| 2025 | 5,234 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,319 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Trachselwald, 1.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Burgdorf (17,577 residents), 9.6 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,816 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Sumiswald
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 | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.5% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 237 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,761 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 418 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 49.2% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 129 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 12.5% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,617 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 54.8% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,540 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 22.3% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,729 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 4.2% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,716 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 43.7% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 98 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 25.6% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 46 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 274 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 319 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,920 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 255 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 73.8 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 168 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 14,106 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 320 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 463 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 306 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 283 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 540 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 54.1 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,370 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 63.3% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,123 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 30.7% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 749 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 3,068 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 321 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 586.2 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 331 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 48.2% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,416 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 37.6% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 353 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Sumiswald | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 10.2% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,515 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Sumiswald
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sumiswald?
Sumiswald has 5,234 residents (2025), ranking 409 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Sumiswald?
Sumiswald covers 59.4 km², with a density of 88 people per km².
Is the population of Sumiswald growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sumiswald went from 4,999 to 5,234, a change of +4.7%.
Where is Sumiswald?
Sumiswald is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Emmental (district). Latitude 47.027, longitude 7.745.
District heating: what is the figure for Sumiswald?
In Sumiswald, “District heating” stands at 25.6% (2026), ranking 46 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Sumiswald?
In Sumiswald, “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946” stands at 49.2% (2026), ranking 129 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 23.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sumiswald?
In Sumiswald, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,204 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sumiswald?
The nearest to Sumiswald are Trachselwald (1.3 km), Affoltern im Emmental (3.3 km), Lützelflüh (4.7 km), Rüegsau (4.9 km), Rüderswil (5.1 km).