Wattenwil: population and statistics
Wattenwil has a population of 3,219 (2025) across 14.5 km², or 221 people per km². It ranks 684 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +12.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,219 residents
- 14.5 km²
- 221 people/km²
- 600 m
Key points
Among the 335 municipalities in Bern, Wattenwil ranks No. 84 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 5.7% in Wattenwil, compared with an average of 18.6% in Bern and 27.7% nationally.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: 40.7 in Wattenwil, compared with an average of 62.6 in Bern and 83.6 nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,225 kWh a year here.
Wattenwil in numbers
Where is Wattenwil?
Population of Wattenwil over time
Wattenwil had 2,865 residents in 2015 and 3,219 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,060 |
| 2021 | 3,110 |
| 2022 | 3,165 |
| 2023 | 3,198 |
| 2024 | 3,230 |
| 2025 | 3,219 |
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Wood heating systems”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,036 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Gurzelen, 2.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Uetendorf (6,072 residents), 4.5 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,900 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Wattenwil
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 | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.0% | 22.7% | 20.7% | ranked 291 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,616 | 599,633 | 4,927,050 | ranked 737 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 33.4% | 29.0% | 23.3% | ranked 471 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 20.9% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,187 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 54.2% | 54.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,555 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 43.3% | 60.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,273 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 11.4% | 14.3% | 13.7% | ranked 1,101 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 34.2% | 14.7% | 12.4% | ranked 189 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 5.8% | 5.7% | 1.4% | ranked 416 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 162 | 40,598 | 329,600 | ranked 677 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 992.6 kW | 999.1 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,106 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 23.9 GWh/year | 9,185 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 880 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,415 kWh/inh. | 8,535 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,303 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 207 | 80,971 | 728,011 | ranked 740 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 131 | 67,347 | 762,757 | ranked 995 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 40.7 | 62.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,746 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 59.5% | 64.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,409 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 35.9% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 335 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,042 | 677,492 | 5,679,518 | ranked 793 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 323.7 | 629.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,060 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 73.1% | 70.3% | 63.6% | ranked 543 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 17.5% | 22.5% | 24.2% | ranked 1,226 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Wattenwil | Bern | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.7% | 18.6% | 18.9% | ranked 1,742 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Wattenwil
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wattenwil?
Wattenwil has 3,219 residents (2025), ranking 684 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Wattenwil?
Wattenwil covers 14.5 km², with a density of 221 people per km².
Is the population of Wattenwil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Wattenwil went from 2,865 to 3,219, a change of +12.4%.
Where is Wattenwil?
Wattenwil is in Bern. It belongs to Verwaltungskreis Thun (district). Latitude 46.770, longitude 7.507.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Wattenwil?
In Wattenwil, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 5.7% (2025), ranking 1,742 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Wattenwil?
In Wattenwil, “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 40.7 (2026), ranking 1,746 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 64.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Wattenwil?
In Wattenwil, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,225 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Wattenwil?
The nearest to Wattenwil are Gurzelen (2.1 km), Forst-Längenbühl (2.3 km), Burgistein (2.5 km), Seftigen (3.2 km), Blumenstein (4.2 km).