Giswil: population and statistics
Giswil has a population of 4,013 (2025) across 86.0 km², or 46.7 people per km². It ranks 551 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,013 residents
- 86.0 km²
- 47 people/km²
- 498 m
Key points
Among the 7 municipalities in Obwalden, Giswil ranks No. 6 by population.
Heat pumps as main heating: 3.3% in Giswil, compared with an average of 15.9% in Obwalden and 15.5% nationally.
Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities: 21.3% in Giswil, compared with an average of 16.1% in Obwalden and 26.1% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 34° generates about 1,060 kWh a year here.
Giswil in numbers
Where is Giswil?
Population of Giswil over time
Giswil had 3,586 residents in 2015 and 4,013 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,676 |
| 2021 | 3,796 |
| 2022 | 3,806 |
| 2023 | 3,944 |
| 2024 | 3,988 |
| 2025 | 4,013 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Obwalden for “Population change over 10 years”.
- Number 1 in Obwalden for “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings”.
- “Heat pumps as main heating”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,039 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Lungern, 5.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sarnen (10,906 residents), 8.5 km away.
All indicators for Giswil
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 | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.0% | 22.2% | 20.7% | ranked 844 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,140 | 23,369 | 4,927,050 | ranked 566 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 29.7% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 601 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 21.4% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 1,152 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 63.7% | 48.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,209 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 23.5% | 30.1% | 53.5% | ranked 1,718 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 3.3% | 15.9% | 13.7% | ranked 1,748 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 41.8% | 27.2% | 12.4% | ranked 109 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 16.7% | 15.3% | 1.4% | ranked 114 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 171 | 1,394 | 329,600 | ranked 636 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,304 kW | 1,087 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 705 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 41.1 GWh/year | 342.1 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 444 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 10,254 kWh/inh. | 8,580 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 758 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 351 | 3,807 | 728,011 | ranked 415 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 282 | 4,256 | 762,757 | ranked 541 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 70.3 | 106.7 | 64.9 | ranked 694 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 71.6% | 79.2% | 65.7% | ranked 402 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 21.3% | 16.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,519 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,398 | 23,792 | 5,679,518 | ranked 645 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 348.4 | 596.6 | 362.9 | ranked 955 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 52.4% | 61.9% | 63.6% | ranked 1,280 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 27.7% | 29.8% | 24.2% | ranked 731 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Giswil | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 15.1% | 17.4% | 18.9% | ranked 1,187 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Giswil
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Giswil?
Giswil has 4,013 residents (2025), ranking 551 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Giswil?
Giswil covers 86.0 km², with a density of 47 people per km².
Is the population of Giswil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Giswil went from 3,586 to 4,013, a change of +11.9%.
Where is Giswil?
Giswil is in Obwalden. It belongs to Kanton Obwalden (district). Latitude 46.833, longitude 8.184.
Heat pumps as main heating: what is the figure for Giswil?
In Giswil, “Heat pumps as main heating” stands at 3.3% (2026), ranking 1,748 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 13.7%.
Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities: what is the figure for Giswil?
In Giswil, “Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities” stands at 21.3% (2026), ranking 1,519 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 29.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Giswil?
In Giswil, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 34° produces about 1,060 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Giswil?
The nearest to Giswil are Lungern (5.4 km), Sachseln (5.6 km), Sarnen (8.5 km), Kerns (10 km), Hasliberg (11 km).