Willisau: population and statistics
Willisau has a population of 9,297 (2025) across 41.2 km², or 226 people per km². It ranks 211 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 9,297 residents
- 41.2 km²
- 226 people/km²
- 566 m
Key points
Among the 79 municipalities in Lucerne, Willisau ranks No. 8 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,158 kWh a year here.
Willisau in numbers
Where is Willisau?
Population of Willisau over time
Willisau had 8,816 residents in 2015 and 9,297 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 8,910 |
| 2021 | 9,015 |
| 2022 | 9,108 |
| 2023 | 9,149 |
| 2024 | 9,242 |
| 2025 | 9,297 |
Did you know?
- “Rooftop solar electricity potential”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Jobs”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,766 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Alberswil, 3.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Langenthal (16,233 residents), 19 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,632 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Willisau
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 | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.7% | 19.4% | 20.7% | ranked 739 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 4,423 | 219,035 | 4,927,050 | ranked 235 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 20.5% | 16.6% | 23.3% | ranked 1,036 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 28.1% | 29.3% | 25.3% | ranked 715 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 53.8% | 49.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,572 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 40.5% | 49.7% | 53.5% | ranked 1,370 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 23.4% | 25.3% | 13.7% | ranked 425 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 26.3% | 13.2% | 12.4% | ranked 345 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 5.7% | 6.7% | 1.4% | ranked 417 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 404 | 16,268 | 329,600 | ranked 145 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2,250 kW | 1,343 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 152 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 104.8 GWh/year | 3,326 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 74 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 11,274 kWh/inh. | 7,532 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 620 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 818 | 34,265 | 728,011 | ranked 153 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 586 | 34,626 | 762,757 | ranked 249 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 63.0 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 977 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 74.6% | 74.5% | 65.7% | ranked 215 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 19.5% | 20.6% | 29.0% | ranked 1,615 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 6,108 | 273,970 | 5,679,518 | ranked 155 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 657.0 | 620.6 | 362.9 | ranked 242 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 68.3% | 69.3% | 63.6% | ranked 717 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 23.6% | 24.2% | 24.2% | ranked 914 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Willisau | Lucerne | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 15.6% | 21.9% | 18.9% | ranked 1,146 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Willisau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Willisau?
Willisau has 9,297 residents (2025), ranking 211 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Willisau?
Willisau covers 41.2 km², with a density of 226 people per km².
Is the population of Willisau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Willisau went from 8,816 to 9,297, a change of +5.5%.
Where is Willisau?
Willisau is in Lucerne. It belongs to Wahlkreis Willisau (district). Latitude 47.121, longitude 7.993.
Rooftop solar electricity potential: what is the figure for Willisau?
In Willisau, “Rooftop solar electricity potential” stands at 104.8 GWh/year (2026), ranking 74 of 2,114 municipalities; the national median is 19.0 GWh/year.
Establishments: what is the figure for Willisau?
In Willisau, “Establishments” stands at 818 (2024), ranking 153 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Willisau?
In Willisau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,158 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Willisau?
The nearest to Willisau are Alberswil (3.3 km), Ettiswil (3.6 km), Grosswangen (4.5 km), Hergiswil bei Willisau (4.8 km), Zell (LU) (5.3 km).