Bulle: population and statistics
Bulle has a population of 27,276 (2025) across 23.9 km², or 1,143 people per km². It ranks 32 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +24.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 27,276 residents
- 23.9 km²
- 1,143 people/km²
- 780 m
Key points
Among the 121 municipalities in Fribourg, Bulle ranks No. 2 by population.
District heating: 47.0% in Bulle, compared with an average of 10.2% in Fribourg and 7.3% nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 44.3% in Bulle, compared with an average of 25.8% in Fribourg and 27.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,258 kWh a year here.
Bulle in numbers
Where is Bulle?
Population of Bulle over time
Bulle had 21,991 residents in 2015 and 27,276 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 24,412 |
| 2021 | 25,070 |
| 2022 | 25,722 |
| 2023 | 26,749 |
| 2024 | 27,101 |
| 2025 | 27,276 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Fribourg for “District heating”.
- Number 1 in Fribourg for “Rooftop solar electricity potential”.
- “District heating”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,342 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.9 times the national average.
All indicators for Bulle
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 | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 15.8% | 17.5% | 20.7% | ranked 1,649 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 13,211 | 172,337 | 4,927,050 | ranked 33 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 12.1% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,514 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 46.3% | 33.7% | 25.3% | ranked 43 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 51.8% | 62.3% | 69.5% | ranked 1,623 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 30.2% | 45.8% | 53.5% | ranked 1,633 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 14.5% | 23.6% | 13.7% | ranked 865 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 3.5% | 10.8% | 12.4% | ranked 1,578 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 47.0% | 10.2% | 1.4% | ranked 12 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 709 | 21,752 | 329,600 | ranked 37 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,098 kW | 1,384 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 959 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 167.3 GWh/year | 3,325 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 22 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 6,135 kWh/inh. | 9,476 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,521 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,964 | 24,434 | 728,011 | ranked 42 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 2,106 | 25,674 | 762,757 | ranked 47 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 77.2 | 73.2 | 64.9 | ranked 508 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 72.1% | 67.8% | 65.7% | ranked 371 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 21.4% | 26.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,515 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 16,957 | 167,232 | 5,679,518 | ranked 48 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 621.7 | 476.6 | 362.9 | ranked 289 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 67.2% | 66.0% | 63.6% | ranked 759 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 32.4% | 25.9% | 24.2% | ranked 543 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Bulle | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 44.3% | 25.8% | 18.9% | ranked 43 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Bulle
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bulle?
Bulle has 27,276 residents (2025), ranking 32 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Bulle?
Bulle covers 23.9 km², with a density of 1,143 people per km².
Is the population of Bulle growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bulle went from 21,991 to 27,276, a change of +24.0%.
Where is Bulle?
Bulle is in Fribourg. It belongs to District de la Gruyère (district). Latitude 46.617, longitude 7.050.
District heating: what is the figure for Bulle?
In Bulle, “District heating” stands at 47.0% (2026), ranking 12 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Bulle?
In Bulle, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 44.3% (2025), ranking 43 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bulle?
In Bulle, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,258 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bulle?
The nearest to Bulle are Riaz (2.2 km), Le Pâquier (FR) (2.5 km), Vuadens (2.5 km), Morlon (3.1 km), Echarlens (3.8 km).