Glarus: population and statistics
Glarus has a population of 12,968 (2025) across 103.7 km², or 125 people per km². It ranks 119 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 12,968 residents
- 103.7 km²
- 125 people/km²
- 538 m
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Glarus, Glarus ranks No. 2 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,073 kWh a year here.
Glarus in numbers
Where is Glarus?
Population of Glarus over time
Glarus had 12,570 residents in 2015 and 12,968 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 12,539 |
| 2021 | 12,490 |
| 2022 | 12,515 |
| 2023 | 12,758 |
| 2024 | 12,886 |
| 2025 | 12,968 |
Did you know?
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Jobs”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 14,521 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Glarus Süd, 4.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Glarus Nord (19,849 residents), 7.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,292 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Glarus
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 | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.6% | 22.1% | 20.7% | ranked 748 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 6,966 | 24,235 | 4,927,050 | ranked 116 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 42.9% | 37.8% | 23.3% | ranked 212 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 13.7% | 17.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,573 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 75.0% | 78.7% | 69.5% | ranked 543 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 67.7% | 56.4% | 53.5% | ranked 431 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 11.1% | 7.0% | 13.7% | ranked 1,123 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 14.7% | 26.3% | 12.4% | ranked 778 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.4% | ranked 981 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 310 | 1,464 | 329,600 | ranked 259 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 702.9 kW | 1,062 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,469 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 75.3 GWh/year | 329.8 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 164 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 5,807 kWh/inh. | 7,768 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,560 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,147 | 3,413 | 728,011 | ranked 96 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,201 | 3,508 | 762,757 | ranked 102 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 92.6 | 82.6 | 64.9 | ranked 264 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 73.9% | 72.0% | 65.7% | ranked 257 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 21.7% | 23.5% | 29.0% | ranked 1,496 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 8,873 | 23,039 | 5,679,518 | ranked 103 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 684.2 | 542.7 | 362.9 | ranked 216 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 69.4% | 60.1% | 63.6% | ranked 678 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 28.9% | 35.2% | 24.2% | ranked 673 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Glarus | Glarus | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 29.7% | 26.9% | 18.9% | ranked 309 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Glarus
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Glarus?
Glarus has 12,968 residents (2025), ranking 119 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Glarus?
Glarus covers 103.7 km², with a density of 125 people per km².
Is the population of Glarus growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Glarus went from 12,570 to 12,968, a change of +3.2%.
Where is Glarus?
Glarus is in Glarus. It belongs to Kanton Glarus (district). Latitude 47.033, longitude 9.066.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Glarus?
In Glarus, “Dwellings” stands at 6,966 (2026), ranking 116 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Establishments: what is the figure for Glarus?
In Glarus, “Establishments” stands at 1,147 (2024), ranking 96 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Glarus?
In Glarus, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,073 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Glarus?
The nearest to Glarus are Glarus Süd (4.3 km), Glarus Nord (7.4 km), Weesen (12 km), Innerthal (14 km), Schänis (14 km).