Rothenburg: population and statistics
Rothenburg has a population of 7,983 (2025) across 15.5 km², or 515 people per km². It ranks 248 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 7,983 residents
- 15.5 km²
- 515 people/km²
- 489 m
Key points
Among the 79 municipalities in Lucerne, Rothenburg ranks No. 9 by population.
Heat pumps as main heating: 42.3% in Rothenburg, compared with an average of 25.3% in Lucerne and 15.5% nationally.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 79.8% in Rothenburg, compared with an average of 74.5% in Lucerne and 68.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,170 kWh a year here.
Rothenburg in numbers
Where is Rothenburg?
Population of Rothenburg over time
Rothenburg had 7,337 residents in 2015 and 7,983 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,715 |
| 2021 | 7,792 |
| 2022 | 7,859 |
| 2023 | 7,828 |
| 2024 | 7,863 |
| 2025 | 7,983 |
Did you know?
- “Heat pumps as main heating”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,169 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Emmen (32,777 residents), 2.8 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,680 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Rothenburg
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 | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.4% | 19.4% | 20.7% | ranked 797 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 3,550 | 219,035 | 4,927,050 | ranked 304 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 8.4% | 16.6% | 23.3% | ranked 1,673 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 32.3% | 29.3% | 25.3% | ranked 465 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 62.4% | 49.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,266 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 40.4% | 49.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,371 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 42.3% | 25.3% | 13.7% | ranked 60 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 9.4% | 13.2% | 12.4% | ranked 1,102 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 2.5% | 6.7% | 1.4% | ranked 700 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 385 | 16,268 | 329,600 | ranked 176 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2,029 kW | 1,343 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 213 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 77.4 GWh/year | 3,326 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 156 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 9,701 kWh/inh. | 7,532 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 844 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 645 | 34,265 | 728,011 | ranked 209 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 738 | 34,626 | 762,757 | ranked 190 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 92.4 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 268 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 79.8% | 74.5% | 65.7% | ranked 67 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 16.3% | 20.6% | 29.0% | ranked 1,730 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 7,537 | 273,970 | 5,679,518 | ranked 119 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 944.1 | 620.6 | 362.9 | ranked 90 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 79.0% | 69.3% | 63.6% | ranked 350 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 18.9% | 24.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,155 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Rothenburg | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 11.8% | 21.9% | 18.9% | ranked 1,429 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Rothenburg
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rothenburg?
Rothenburg has 7,983 residents (2025), ranking 248 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Rothenburg?
Rothenburg covers 15.5 km², with a density of 515 people per km².
Is the population of Rothenburg growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rothenburg went from 7,337 to 7,983, a change of +8.8%.
Where is Rothenburg?
Rothenburg is in Lucerne. It belongs to Wahlkreis Hochdorf (district). Latitude 47.094, longitude 8.272.
Heat pumps as main heating: what is the figure for Rothenburg?
In Rothenburg, “Heat pumps as main heating” stands at 42.3% (2026), ranking 60 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 13.7%.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Rothenburg?
In Rothenburg, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 79.8% (2026), ranking 67 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Rothenburg?
In Rothenburg, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,170 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Rothenburg?
The nearest to Rothenburg are Emmen (2.8 km), Rain (4.2 km), Neuenkirch (5.3 km), Lucerne (5.3 km), Ebikon (5.5 km).