Kestenholz: population and statistics
Kestenholz has a population of 1,888 (2025) across 8.6 km², or 220 people per km². It ranks 1,006 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,888 residents
- 8.6 km²
- 220 people/km²
- 449 m
Key points
Among the 106 municipalities in Solothurn, Kestenholz ranks No. 46 by population.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: 2,164 kW in Kestenholz, compared with an average of 1,095 kW in Solothurn and 919.4 kW nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 10.2% in Kestenholz, compared with an average of 25.9% in Solothurn and 27.7% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,164 kWh a year here.
Kestenholz in numbers
Where is Kestenholz?
Population of Kestenholz over time
Kestenholz had 1,770 residents in 2015 and 1,888 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,848 |
| 2021 | 1,869 |
| 2022 | 1,873 |
| 2023 | 1,881 |
| 2024 | 1,884 |
| 2025 | 1,888 |
Did you know?
- “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,203 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Niederbuchsiten, 2.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Oensingen (6,766 residents), 3.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,656 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Kestenholz
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 | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.1% | 21.7% | 20.7% | ranked 833 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 900 | 148,900 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,106 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.8% | 22.0% | 23.3% | ranked 875 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 21.4% | 21.9% | 25.3% | ranked 1,158 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 77.1% | 70.1% | 69.5% | ranked 407 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 70.7% | 72.7% | 53.5% | ranked 339 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 8.4% | 11.4% | 13.7% | ranked 1,368 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 9.5% | 8.1% | 12.4% | ranked 1,097 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.9% | 2.7% | 1.4% | ranked 794 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 132 | 11,211 | 329,600 | ranked 845 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2,164 kW | 1,095 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 172 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 20.3 GWh/year | 2,373 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,006 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 10,731 kWh/inh. | 8,138 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 694 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 127 | 18,596 | 728,011 | ranked 1,077 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 108 | 18,362 | 762,757 | ranked 1,109 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 57.2 | 63.0 | 64.9 | ranked 1,257 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 65.7% | 65.9% | 65.7% | ranked 904 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 32.4% | 29.3% | 29.0% | ranked 618 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 603 | 151,633 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,069 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 319.4 | 520.0 | 362.9 | ranked 1,079 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 70.8% | 67.4% | 63.6% | ranked 632 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 22.1% | 27.9% | 24.2% | ranked 984 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Kestenholz | Solothurn | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 10.2% | 25.9% | 18.9% | ranked 1,512 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Kestenholz
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kestenholz?
Kestenholz has 1,888 residents (2025), ranking 1,006 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Kestenholz?
Kestenholz covers 8.6 km², with a density of 220 people per km².
Is the population of Kestenholz growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kestenholz went from 1,770 to 1,888, a change of +6.7%.
Where is Kestenholz?
Kestenholz is in Solothurn. It belongs to Bezirk Gäu (district). Latitude 47.283, longitude 7.754.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kestenholz?
In Kestenholz, “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 2,164 kW (2026), ranking 172 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1,134 kW.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Kestenholz?
In Kestenholz, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 10.2% (2025), ranking 1,512 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 18.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kestenholz?
In Kestenholz, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,164 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kestenholz?
The nearest to Kestenholz are Niederbuchsiten (2.0 km), Oensingen (3.1 km), Oberbuchsiten (3.2 km), Wolfwil (3.3 km), Schwarzhäusern (3.4 km).