Sachseln: population and statistics
Sachseln has a population of 5,300 (2025) across 53.9 km², or 98.4 people per km². It ranks 403 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 5,300 residents
- 53.9 km²
- 98 people/km²
- 494 m
Key points
Among the 7 municipalities in Obwalden, Sachseln ranks No. 4 by population.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: 42.0% in Sachseln, compared with an average of 48.5% in Obwalden and 56.9% nationally.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 77.5% in Sachseln, compared with an average of 79.2% in Obwalden and 68.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,122 kWh a year here.
Sachseln in numbers
Where is Sachseln?
Population of Sachseln over time
Sachseln had 5,066 residents in 2015 and 5,300 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 5,145 |
| 2021 | 5,172 |
| 2022 | 5,211 |
| 2023 | 5,294 |
| 2024 | 5,299 |
| 2025 | 5,300 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Obwalden for “Heat pumps as main heating”.
- “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in industry and construction”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,543 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sarnen (10,906 residents), 3.3 km away.
All indicators for Sachseln
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 | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.4% | 22.2% | 20.7% | ranked 645 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,602 | 23,369 | 4,927,050 | ranked 450 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 18.3% | 19.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,165 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 26.1% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 852 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 42.0% | 48.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,737 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 28.1% | 30.1% | 53.5% | ranked 1,666 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 33.3% | 15.9% | 13.7% | ranked 182 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 18.0% | 27.2% | 12.4% | ranked 617 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 14.2% | 15.3% | 1.4% | ranked 150 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 198 | 1,394 | 329,600 | ranked 522 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 972.9 kW | 1,087 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,140 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 38.6 GWh/year | 342.1 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 487 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,281 kWh/inh. | 8,580 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,330 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 405 | 3,807 | 728,011 | ranked 353 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 408 | 4,256 | 762,757 | ranked 367 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 77.0 | 106.7 | 64.9 | ranked 512 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 77.5% | 79.2% | 65.7% | ranked 103 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 19.6% | 16.1% | 29.0% | ranked 1,609 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 3,501 | 23,792 | 5,679,518 | ranked 279 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 660.6 | 596.6 | 362.9 | ranked 236 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 43.8% | 61.9% | 63.6% | ranked 1,508 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 50.9% | 29.8% | 24.2% | ranked 119 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Sachseln | Obwalden | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 13.3% | 17.4% | 18.9% | ranked 1,317 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Sachseln
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sachseln?
Sachseln has 5,300 residents (2025), ranking 403 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Sachseln?
Sachseln covers 53.9 km², with a density of 98 people per km².
Is the population of Sachseln growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sachseln went from 5,066 to 5,300, a change of +4.6%.
Where is Sachseln?
Sachseln is in Obwalden. It belongs to Kanton Obwalden (district). Latitude 46.868, longitude 8.239.
Share of single-family houses among residential buildings: what is the figure for Sachseln?
In Sachseln, “Share of single-family houses among residential buildings” stands at 42.0% (2026), ranking 1,737 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 69.5%.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Sachseln?
In Sachseln, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 77.5% (2026), ranking 103 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sachseln?
In Sachseln, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,122 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sachseln?
The nearest to Sachseln are Sarnen (3.3 km), Kerns (4.8 km), Giswil (5.6 km), Alpnach (8.5 km), Lungern (11 km).