Balsthal: population and statistics
Balsthal has a population of 6,622 (2025) across 15.7 km², or 422 people per km². It ranks 310 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,622 residents
- 15.7 km²
- 422 people/km²
- 492 m
Key points
Among the 106 municipalities in Solothurn, Balsthal ranks No. 10 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 37.2% in Balsthal, compared with an average of 25.9% in Solothurn and 27.7% nationally.
Oil or gas heating systems: 79.9% in Balsthal, compared with an average of 72.7% in Solothurn and 61.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 36° generates about 1,151 kWh a year here.
Balsthal in numbers
Where is Balsthal?
Population of Balsthal over time
Balsthal had 6,019 residents in 2015 and 6,622 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,210 |
| 2021 | 6,302 |
| 2022 | 6,375 |
| 2023 | 6,501 |
| 2024 | 6,560 |
| 2025 | 6,622 |
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Oil or gas heating systems”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,197 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Mümliswil-Ramiswil, 2.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Langenthal (16,233 residents), 13 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,604 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Balsthal
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 | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.3% | 21.7% | 20.7% | ranked 982 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 3,270 | 148,900 | 4,927,050 | ranked 330 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 30.2% | 22.0% | 23.3% | ranked 583 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 18.8% | 21.9% | 25.3% | ranked 1,316 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 73.2% | 70.1% | 69.5% | ranked 666 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 79.9% | 72.7% | 53.5% | ranked 100 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.5% | 11.4% | 13.7% | ranked 1,455 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 4.1% | 8.1% | 12.4% | ranked 1,522 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 2.1% | 2.7% | 1.4% | ranked 764 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 189 | 11,211 | 329,600 | ranked 563 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 974.3 kW | 1,095 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,138 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 49.0 GWh/year | 2,373 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 341 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,397 kWh/inh. | 8,138 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,310 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 384 | 18,596 | 728,011 | ranked 368 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 425 | 18,362 | 762,757 | ranked 345 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 64.2 | 63.0 | 64.9 | ranked 932 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 63.5% | 65.9% | 65.7% | ranked 1,100 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 32.9% | 29.3% | 29.0% | ranked 566 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 3,205 | 151,633 | 5,679,518 | ranked 309 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 484.0 | 520.0 | 362.9 | ranked 526 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 64.6% | 67.4% | 63.6% | ranked 856 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 34.4% | 27.9% | 24.2% | ranked 468 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Balsthal | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 37.2% | 25.9% | 18.9% | ranked 110 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Balsthal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Balsthal?
Balsthal has 6,622 residents (2025), ranking 310 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Balsthal?
Balsthal covers 15.7 km², with a density of 422 people per km².
Is the population of Balsthal growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Balsthal went from 6,019 to 6,622, a change of +10.0%.
Where is Balsthal?
Balsthal is in Solothurn. It belongs to Bezirk Thal (district). Latitude 47.316, longitude 7.694.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Balsthal?
In Balsthal, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 37.2% (2025), ranking 110 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
Oil or gas heating systems: what is the figure for Balsthal?
In Balsthal, “Oil or gas heating systems” stands at 79.9% (2026), ranking 100 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 53.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Balsthal?
In Balsthal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 36° produces about 1,151 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Balsthal?
The nearest to Balsthal are Mümliswil-Ramiswil (2.8 km), Laupersdorf (3.2 km), Oensingen (3.4 km), Holderbank (SO) (4.9 km), Matzendorf (4.9 km).