Grenchen: population and statistics
Grenchen has a population of 18,973 (2025) across 26.0 km², or 729 people per km². It ranks 63 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +13.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 18,973 residents
- 26.0 km²
- 729 people/km²
- 454 m
Key points
Among the 106 municipalities in Solothurn, Grenchen ranks No. 2 by population.
Oil or gas heating systems: 87.5% in Grenchen, compared with an average of 72.7% in Solothurn and 61.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,223 kWh a year here.
Grenchen in numbers
Where is Grenchen?
Population of Grenchen over time
Grenchen had 16,741 residents in 2015 and 18,973 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17,577 |
| 2021 | 17,825 |
| 2022 | 17,939 |
| 2023 | 18,295 |
| 2024 | 18,602 |
| 2025 | 18,973 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Solothurn for “Oil or gas heating systems”.
- Number 1 in Solothurn for “Rooftop solar electricity potential”.
- “Oil or gas heating systems”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,646 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.1 times the national average.
All indicators for Grenchen
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 | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.1% | 21.7% | 20.7% | ranked 681 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 10,711 | 148,900 | 4,927,050 | ranked 57 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 19.8% | 22.0% | 23.3% | ranked 1,067 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 17.4% | 21.9% | 25.3% | ranked 1,403 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 53.6% | 70.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,574 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 87.5% | 72.7% | 53.5% | ranked 15 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.7% | 11.4% | 13.7% | ranked 1,434 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 3.1% | 8.1% | 12.4% | ranked 1,602 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.3% | 2.7% | 1.4% | ranked 1,361 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 332 | 11,211 | 329,600 | ranked 230 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 832.0 kW | 1,095 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,325 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 115.0 GWh/year | 2,373 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 59 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 6,061 kWh/inh. | 8,138 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,533 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,029 | 18,596 | 728,011 | ranked 112 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,147 | 18,362 | 762,757 | ranked 110 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 60.5 | 63.0 | 64.9 | ranked 1,095 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 66.6% | 65.9% | 65.7% | ranked 835 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 29.0% | 29.3% | 29.0% | ranked 897 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 10,684 | 151,633 | 5,679,518 | ranked 87 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 563.1 | 520.0 | 362.9 | ranked 366 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 51.5% | 67.4% | 63.6% | ranked 1,304 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 47.6% | 27.9% | 24.2% | ranked 155 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Grenchen | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 40.9% | 25.9% | 18.9% | ranked 66 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Grenchen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Grenchen?
Grenchen has 18,973 residents (2025), ranking 63 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Grenchen?
Grenchen covers 26.0 km², with a density of 729 people per km².
Is the population of Grenchen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Grenchen went from 16,741 to 18,973, a change of +13.3%.
Where is Grenchen?
Grenchen is in Solothurn. It belongs to Bezirk Lebern (district). Latitude 47.193, longitude 7.396.
Oil or gas heating systems: what is the figure for Grenchen?
In Grenchen, “Oil or gas heating systems” stands at 87.5% (2026), ranking 15 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 53.5%.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Grenchen?
In Grenchen, “Dwellings” stands at 10,711 (2026), ranking 57 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Grenchen?
In Grenchen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,223 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Grenchen?
The nearest to Grenchen are Bettlach (2.5 km), Lengnau (BE) (2.5 km), Arch (3.9 km), Romont (BE) (4.1 km), Rüti bei Büren (4.5 km).