Kerns: population and statistics
Kerns has a population of 6,557 (2025) across 92.6 km², or 70.8 people per km². It ranks 314 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,557 residents
- 92.6 km²
- 71 people/km²
- 566 m
Key points
Among the 7 municipalities in Obwalden, Kerns ranks No. 3 by population.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: 40.8% in Kerns, compared with an average of 48.5% in Obwalden and 56.9% nationally.
Wood heating systems: 35.1% in Kerns, compared with an average of 27.2% in Obwalden and 9.3% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,158 kWh a year here.
Kerns in numbers
Where is Kerns?
Population of Kerns over time
Kerns had 6,048 residents in 2015 and 6,557 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,332 |
| 2021 | 6,380 |
| 2022 | 6,424 |
| 2023 | 6,472 |
| 2024 | 6,514 |
| 2025 | 6,557 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Obwalden for “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”.
- “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Wood heating systems”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,966 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sarnen (10,906 residents), 2.3 km away.
All indicators for Kerns
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 | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.7% | 22.2% | 20.7% | ranked 1,099 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 3,617 | 23,369 | 4,927,050 | ranked 297 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 19.1% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,117 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 34.5% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 356 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 40.8% | 48.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,743 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 34.3% | 30.1% | 53.5% | ranked 1,541 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.8% | 15.9% | 13.7% | ranked 1,422 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 35.1% | 27.2% | 12.4% | ranked 177 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 11.9% | 15.3% | 1.4% | ranked 195 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 235 | 1,394 | 329,600 | ranked 405 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 909.0 kW | 1,087 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,233 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 55.3 GWh/year | 342.1 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 273 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 8,431 kWh/inh. | 8,580 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,092 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 514 | 3,807 | 728,011 | ranked 269 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 412 | 4,256 | 762,757 | ranked 359 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 62.8 | 106.7 | 64.9 | ranked 988 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 75.5% | 79.2% | 65.7% | ranked 168 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 21.1% | 16.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,537 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 2,513 | 23,792 | 5,679,518 | ranked 392 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 383.3 | 596.6 | 362.9 | ranked 830 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 56.7% | 61.9% | 63.6% | ranked 1,139 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 28.6% | 29.8% | 24.2% | ranked 686 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Kerns | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 12.5% | 17.4% | 18.9% | ranked 1,370 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Kerns
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kerns?
Kerns has 6,557 residents (2025), ranking 314 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Kerns?
Kerns covers 92.6 km², with a density of 71 people per km².
Is the population of Kerns growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kerns went from 6,048 to 6,557, a change of +8.4%.
Where is Kerns?
Kerns is in Obwalden. It belongs to Kanton Obwalden (district). Latitude 46.903, longitude 8.276.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: what is the figure for Kerns?
In Kerns, “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings” stands at 40.8% (2026), ranking 1,743 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 69.5%.
Wood heating systems: what is the figure for Kerns?
In Kerns, “Wood heating systems” stands at 35.1% (2026), ranking 177 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 12.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kerns?
In Kerns, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,158 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kerns?
The nearest to Kerns are Sarnen (2.3 km), Alpnach (4.2 km), Sachseln (4.8 km), Ennetmoos (7.6 km), Wolfenschiessen (9.2 km).