Bolken: population and statistics
Bolken has a population of 579 (2025) across 2.1 km², or 273 people per km². It ranks 1,740 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 579 residents
- 2.1 km²
- 273 people/km²
- 484 m
Key points
Among the 106 municipalities in Solothurn, Bolken ranks No. 95 by population.
District heating: 0.0% in Bolken, compared with an average of 2.7% in Solothurn and 7.3% nationally.
Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants: 89.8 in Bolken, compared with an average of 520.0 in Solothurn and 622.5 nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,183 kWh a year here.
Bolken in numbers
Where is Bolken?
Population of Bolken over time
Bolken had 571 residents in 2015 and 579 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 590 |
| 2021 | 587 |
| 2022 | 581 |
| 2023 | 593 |
| 2024 | 577 |
| 2025 | 579 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 297 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Inkwil, 1.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Aeschi (SO) (1,342 residents), 1.2 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,732 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Bolken
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 | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.0% | 21.7% | 20.7% | ranked 1,031 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 258 | 148,900 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,841 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.3% | 22.0% | 23.3% | ranked 1,001 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 23.3% | 21.9% | 25.3% | ranked 1,030 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 86.8% | 70.1% | 69.5% | ranked 31 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 71.4% | 72.7% | 53.5% | ranked 311 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 15.0% | 11.4% | 13.7% | ranked 822 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 6.0% | 8.1% | 12.4% | ranked 1,359 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.0% | 2.7% | 1.4% | ranked 1,506 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 47 | 11,211 | 329,600 | ranked 1,594 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,287 kW | 1,095 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 727 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 5.3 GWh/year | 2,373 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,895 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 9,085 kWh/inh. | 8,138 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 956 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 24 | 18,596 | 728,011 | ranked 1,983 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 19 | 18,362 | 762,757 | ranked 1,941 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 32.8 | 63.0 | 64.9 | ranked 1,799 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 57.9% | 65.9% | 65.7% | ranked 1,500 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 36.8% | 29.3% | 29.0% | ranked 290 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 52 | 151,633 | 5,679,518 | ranked 2,022 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 89.8 | 520.0 | 362.9 | ranked 1,805 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 59.6% | 67.4% | 63.6% | ranked 1,040 of 1,804 |
Society
| Indicator | Bolken | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 7.8% | 25.9% | 18.9% | ranked 1,660 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Bolken
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bolken?
Bolken has 579 residents (2025), ranking 1,740 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Bolken?
Bolken covers 2.1 km², with a density of 273 people per km².
Is the population of Bolken growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bolken went from 571 to 579, a change of +1.4%.
Where is Bolken?
Bolken is in Solothurn. It belongs to Bezirk Wasseramt (district). Latitude 47.193, longitude 7.664.
District heating: what is the figure for Bolken?
In Bolken, “District heating” stands at 0.0% (2026), ranking 1,506 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Bolken?
In Bolken, “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 89.8 (2024), ranking 1,805 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 362.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bolken?
In Bolken, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,183 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bolken?
The nearest to Bolken are Inkwil (1.2 km), Aeschi (SO) (1.2 km), Etziken (1.2 km), Hüniken (2.1 km), Niederönz (2.2 km).