Val-de-Ruz: population and statistics
Val-de-Ruz has a population of 17,543 (2025) across 124.3 km², or 141 people per km². It ranks 75 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 17,543 residents
- 124.3 km²
- 141 people/km²
- 784 m
Key points
Among the 24 municipalities in Neuchâtel, Val-de-Ruz ranks No. 3 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,207 kWh a year here.
Val-de-Ruz in numbers
Where is Val-de-Ruz?
Population of Val-de-Ruz over time
Val-de-Ruz had 16,586 residents in 2015 and 17,543 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17,143 |
| 2021 | 17,368 |
| 2022 | 17,410 |
| 2023 | 17,499 |
| 2024 | 17,514 |
| 2025 | 17,543 |
Did you know?
- “Photovoltaic installations”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 17,403 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Renan (BE), 7.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is La Chaux-de-Fonds (37,858 residents), 7.5 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,828 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Val-de-Ruz
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 | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.1% | 20.3% | 20.7% | ranked 1,380 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 8,862 | 101,478 | 4,927,050 | ranked 78 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 34.5% | 37.4% | 23.3% | ranked 427 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 20.9% | 13.2% | 25.3% | ranked 1,193 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 64.1% | 50.9% | 69.5% | ranked 1,189 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 63.7% | 70.4% | 53.5% | ranked 564 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 19.4% | 12.1% | 13.7% | ranked 585 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 10.0% | 6.7% | 12.4% | ranked 1,066 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 3.0% | 7.0% | 1.4% | ranked 641 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 1,309 | 8,151 | 329,600 | ranked 7 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,220 kW | 1,016 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 809 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 153.5 GWh/year | 1,237 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 29 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 8,751 kWh/inh. | 6,860 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,024 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,178 | 14,545 | 728,011 | ranked 92 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,041 | 13,092 | 762,757 | ranked 124 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 59.3 | 72.6 | 64.9 | ranked 1,147 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 60.7% | 68.7% | 65.7% | ranked 1,338 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 33.4% | 25.0% | 29.0% | ranked 520 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 6,881 | 113,631 | 5,679,518 | ranked 138 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 392.2 | 630.0 | 362.9 | ranked 800 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 59.2% | 63.3% | 63.6% | ranked 1,056 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 35.8% | 33.6% | 24.2% | ranked 408 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Val-de-Ruz | Neuchâtel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 17.8% | 27.3% | 18.9% | ranked 996 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Val-de-Ruz
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Val-de-Ruz?
Val-de-Ruz has 17,543 residents (2025), ranking 75 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Val-de-Ruz?
Val-de-Ruz covers 124.3 km², with a density of 141 people per km².
Is the population of Val-de-Ruz growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Val-de-Ruz went from 16,586 to 17,543, a change of +5.8%.
Where is Val-de-Ruz?
Val-de-Ruz is in Neuchâtel. It belongs to Canton de Neuchâtel (district). Latitude 47.062, longitude 6.912.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Val-de-Ruz?
In Val-de-Ruz, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 1,309 (2026), ranking 7 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Val-de-Ruz?
In Val-de-Ruz, “Dwellings” stands at 8,862 (2026), ranking 78 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Val-de-Ruz?
In Val-de-Ruz, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,207 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Val-de-Ruz?
The nearest to Val-de-Ruz are Renan (BE) (7.2 km), La Chaux-de-Fonds (7.5 km), Neuchâtel (8.1 km), Cornaux (8.6 km), La Sagne (8.9 km).