Thurnen: population and statistics
Thurnen has a population of 2,076 (2025) across 6.0 km², or 349 people per km². It ranks 950 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,076 residents
- 6.0 km²
- 349 people/km²
- 575 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Thurnen ranks No. 125 by population.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: 35.6 in Thurnen, compared with an average of 62.6 in Bern and 83.6 nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 8.0% in Thurnen, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,250 kWh a year here.
Thurnen in numbers
Where is Thurnen?
Population of Thurnen over time
Thurnen had 1,909 residents in 2015 and 2,076 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,035 |
| 2021 | 2,028 |
| 2022 | 2,013 |
| 2023 | 2,057 |
| 2024 | 2,060 |
| 2025 | 2,076 |
Did you know?
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 833 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Riggisberg, 2.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Wattenwil (3,219 residents), 4.9 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,000 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Thurnen
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 | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.3% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 474 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,033 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,023 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 28.6% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 638 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 22.9% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,050 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 64.0% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,198 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 50.6% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,011 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 19.1% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 598 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 23.4% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 412 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.2% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 1,413 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 123 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 901 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,284 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 735 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 18.8 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,061 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 9,075 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 960 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 119 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 1,123 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 74 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 1,357 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 35.6 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,790 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 60.8% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,324 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 32.4% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 618 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 374 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,318 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 180.2 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,630 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 59.1% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,059 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 19.8% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,111 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Thurnen | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 8.0% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,647 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Thurnen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Thurnen?
Thurnen has 2,076 residents (2025), ranking 950 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Thurnen?
Thurnen covers 6.0 km², with a density of 349 people per km².
Is the population of Thurnen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Thurnen went from 1,909 to 2,076, a change of +8.7%.
Where is Thurnen?
Thurnen is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Bern-Mittelland (district). Latitude 46.814, longitude 7.508.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Thurnen?
In Thurnen, “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 35.6 (2026), ranking 1,790 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 64.9.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Thurnen?
In Thurnen, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 8.0% (2025), ranking 1,647 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Thurnen?
In Thurnen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,250 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Thurnen?
The nearest to Thurnen are Riggisberg (2.3 km), Burgistein (2.4 km), Kaufdorf (2.8 km), Kirchdorf (BE) (3.3 km), Gerzensee (3.9 km).