Benken (SG): population and statistics
Benken (SG) has a population of 3,119 (2025) across 16.5 km², or 189 people per km². It ranks 702 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,119 residents
- 16.5 km²
- 189 people/km²
- 409 m
Key points
Among the 75 municipalities in St. Gallen, Benken (SG) ranks No. 56 by population.
Heat pumps as main heating: 42.6% in Benken (SG), compared with an average of 30.7% in St. Gallen and 15.5% nationally.
Share of jobs in services: 31.3% in Benken (SG), compared with an average of 64.9% in St. Gallen and 73.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,127 kWh a year here.
Benken (SG) in numbers
Where is Benken (SG)?
Population of Benken (SG) over time
Benken (SG) had 2,915 residents in 2015 and 3,119 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,994 |
| 2021 | 3,025 |
| 2022 | 3,018 |
| 2023 | 3,035 |
| 2024 | 3,073 |
| 2025 | 3,119 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in St. Gallen for “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”.
- “Heat pumps as main heating”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in services”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,311 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Reichenburg, 3.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Uznach (7,114 residents), 3.6 km away.
All indicators for Benken (SG)
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 | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.6% | 19.9% | 20.7% | ranked 1,290 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,384 | 280,853 | 4,927,050 | ranked 829 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.0% | 23.5% | 23.3% | ranked 1,014 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 40.9% | 24.8% | 25.3% | ranked 125 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 72.1% | 64.1% | 69.5% | ranked 746 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 34.4% | 52.2% | 53.5% | ranked 1,538 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 42.6% | 30.7% | 13.7% | ranked 58 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 19.6% | 9.0% | 12.4% | ranked 559 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.4% | 6.0% | 1.4% | ranked 1,310 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 203 | 26,111 | 329,600 | ranked 501 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,936 kW | 1,325 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 245 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 34.6 GWh/year | 4,072 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 576 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 11,087 kWh/inh. | 7,485 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 643 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 238 | 39,699 | 728,011 | ranked 642 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 200 | 42,658 | 762,757 | ranked 733 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 64.1 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 938 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 59.0% | 65.2% | 65.7% | ranked 1,434 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 36.5% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 310 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,267 | 317,461 | 5,679,518 | ranked 703 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 406.2 | 583.5 | 362.9 | ranked 754 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 31.3% | 64.9% | 63.6% | ranked 1,740 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 50.7% | 30.3% | 24.2% | ranked 120 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Benken (SG) | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 14.7% | 27.2% | 18.9% | ranked 1,221 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Benken (SG)
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Benken (SG)?
Benken (SG) has 3,119 residents (2025), ranking 702 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Benken (SG)?
Benken (SG) covers 16.5 km², with a density of 189 people per km².
Is the population of Benken (SG) growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Benken (SG) went from 2,915 to 3,119, a change of +7.0%.
Where is Benken (SG)?
Benken (SG) is in St. Gallen. It belongs to Wahlkreis See-Gaster (district). Latitude 47.192, longitude 8.996.
Heat pumps as main heating: what is the figure for Benken (SG)?
In Benken (SG), “Heat pumps as main heating” stands at 42.6% (2026), ranking 58 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 13.7%.
Share of jobs in services: what is the figure for Benken (SG)?
In Benken (SG), “Share of jobs in services” stands at 31.3% (2024), ranking 1,740 of 1,804 municipalities; the national median is 63.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Benken (SG)?
In Benken (SG), a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,127 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Benken (SG)?
The nearest to Benken (SG) are Reichenburg (3.0 km), Uznach (3.6 km), Kaltbrunn (3.9 km), Tuggen (4.0 km), Schmerikon (5.0 km).