Sâles: population and statistics
Sâles has a population of 1,478 (2025) across 18.8 km², or 78.5 people per km². It ranks 1,185 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,478 residents
- 18.8 km²
- 78 people/km²
- 821 m
Key points
Among the 121 municipalities in Fribourg, Sâles ranks No. 64 by population.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: 4,612 kW in Sâles, compared with an average of 1,384 kW in Fribourg and 919.4 kW nationally.
Share of jobs in services: 38.2% in Sâles, compared with an average of 66.0% in Fribourg and 73.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,258 kWh a year here.
Sâles in numbers
Where is Sâles?
Population of Sâles over time
Sâles had 1,447 residents in 2015 and 1,478 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,452 |
| 2021 | 1,442 |
| 2022 | 1,448 |
| 2023 | 1,452 |
| 2024 | 1,467 |
| 2025 | 1,478 |
Did you know?
- “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in services”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,636 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vaulruz, 2.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Vuisternens-devant-Romont (2,410 residents), 3.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,032 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Sâles
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 | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.4% | 17.5% | 20.7% | ranked 1,592 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 645 | 172,337 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,337 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 39.1% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 304 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 24.6% | 33.7% | 25.3% | ranked 939 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 63.7% | 62.3% | 69.5% | ranked 1,212 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 40.3% | 45.8% | 53.5% | ranked 1,374 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 23.4% | 23.6% | 13.7% | ranked 423 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 28.3% | 10.8% | 12.4% | ranked 294 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.7% | 10.2% | 1.4% | ranked 829 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 165 | 21,752 | 329,600 | ranked 664 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4,612 kW | 1,384 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 7 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 31.9 GWh/year | 3,325 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 630 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 21,610 kWh/inh. | 9,476 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 64 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 127 | 24,434 | 728,011 | ranked 1,077 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 101 | 25,674 | 762,757 | ranked 1,151 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 68.3 | 73.2 | 64.9 | ranked 775 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 59.4% | 67.8% | 65.7% | ranked 1,418 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 29.7% | 26.1% | 29.0% | ranked 839 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 539 | 167,232 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,132 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 364.7 | 476.6 | 362.9 | ranked 897 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 38.2% | 66.0% | 63.6% | ranked 1,631 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 32.1% | 25.9% | 24.2% | ranked 551 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Sâles | Fribourg | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 10.8% | 25.8% | 18.9% | ranked 1,487 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Sâles
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sâles?
Sâles has 1,478 residents (2025), ranking 1,185 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Sâles?
Sâles covers 18.8 km², with a density of 78 people per km².
Is the population of Sâles growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sâles went from 1,447 to 1,478, a change of +2.1%.
Where is Sâles?
Sâles is in Fribourg. It belongs to District de la Gruyère (district). Latitude 46.633, longitude 6.967.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Sâles?
In Sâles, “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 4,612 kW (2026), ranking 7 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1,134 kW.
Share of jobs in services: what is the figure for Sâles?
In Sâles, “Share of jobs in services” stands at 38.2% (2024), ranking 1,631 of 1,804 municipalities; the national median is 63.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sâles?
In Sâles, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,258 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sâles?
The nearest to Sâles are Vaulruz (2.2 km), Vuisternens-devant-Romont (3.1 km), La Verrerie (4.2 km), Vuadens (4.2 km), Grangettes (5.6 km).