Plaffeien: population and statistics
Plaffeien has a population of 3,729 (2025) across 59.4 km², or 62.8 people per km². It ranks 605 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,729 residents
- 59.4 km²
- 63 people/km²
- 854 m
Key points
Among the 121 municipalities in Fribourg, Plaffeien ranks No. 21 by population.
Oil or gas heating systems: 29.9% in Plaffeien, compared with an average of 45.8% in Fribourg and 61.7% nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 9.8% in Plaffeien, compared with an average of 25.8% in Fribourg and 27.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 1,208 kWh a year here.
Plaffeien in numbers
Where is Plaffeien?
Population of Plaffeien over time
Plaffeien had 3,564 residents in 2015 and 3,729 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,613 |
| 2021 | 3,597 |
| 2022 | 3,619 |
| 2023 | 3,668 |
| 2024 | 3,693 |
| 2025 | 3,729 |
Did you know?
- “Oil or gas heating systems”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,315 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Brünisried, 2.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Schwarzenburg (6,797 residents), 9.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,832 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Plaffeien
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 | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.3% | 17.5% | 20.7% | ranked 361 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,246 | 172,337 | 4,927,050 | ranked 538 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 18.6% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,147 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 17.9% | 33.7% | 25.3% | ranked 1,381 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 67.5% | 62.3% | 69.5% | ranked 1,011 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 29.9% | 45.8% | 53.5% | ranked 1,639 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 13.1% | 23.6% | 13.7% | ranked 947 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 26.1% | 10.8% | 12.4% | ranked 349 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 9.3% | 10.2% | 1.4% | ranked 255 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 269 | 21,752 | 329,600 | ranked 327 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,409 kW | 1,384 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 629 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 50.3 GWh/year | 3,325 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 322 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 13,484 kWh/inh. | 9,476 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 369 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 319 | 24,434 | 728,011 | ranked 466 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 208 | 25,674 | 762,757 | ranked 717 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 55.8 | 73.2 | 64.9 | ranked 1,312 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 62.5% | 67.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,190 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 23.6% | 26.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,375 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,656 | 167,232 | 5,679,518 | ranked 563 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 444.1 | 476.6 | 362.9 | ranked 630 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 64.5% | 66.0% | 63.6% | ranked 858 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 26.3% | 25.9% | 24.2% | ranked 791 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Plaffeien | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 9.8% | 25.8% | 18.9% | ranked 1,535 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Plaffeien
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Plaffeien?
Plaffeien has 3,729 residents (2025), ranking 605 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Plaffeien?
Plaffeien covers 59.4 km², with a density of 63 people per km².
Is the population of Plaffeien growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Plaffeien went from 3,564 to 3,729, a change of +4.6%.
Where is Plaffeien?
Plaffeien is in Fribourg. It belongs to Bezirk Sense (district). Latitude 46.741, longitude 7.287.
Oil or gas heating systems: what is the figure for Plaffeien?
In Plaffeien, “Oil or gas heating systems” stands at 29.9% (2026), ranking 1,639 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 53.5%.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Plaffeien?
In Plaffeien, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 9.8% (2025), ranking 1,535 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Plaffeien?
In Plaffeien, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 1,208 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Plaffeien?
The nearest to Plaffeien are Brünisried (2.8 km), Plasselb (3.0 km), Rechthalten (4.0 km), Guggisberg (4.5 km), St. Silvester (5.1 km).