Nesslau: population and statistics
Nesslau has a population of 3,937 (2025) across 92.7 km², or 42.5 people per km². It ranks 568 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,937 residents
- 92.7 km²
- 42 people/km²
- 979 m
Key points
Among the 75 municipalities in St. Gallen, Nesslau ranks No. 49 by population.
Oil or gas heating systems: 19.4% in Nesslau, compared with an average of 52.2% in St. Gallen and 61.7% nationally.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: 44.2% in Nesslau, compared with an average of 23.5% in St. Gallen and 22.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,159 kWh a year here.
Nesslau in numbers
Where is Nesslau?
Population of Nesslau over time
Nesslau had 3,611 residents in 2015 and 3,937 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,608 |
| 2021 | 3,656 |
| 2022 | 3,733 |
| 2023 | 3,833 |
| 2024 | 3,890 |
| 2025 | 3,937 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in St. Gallen for “Wood heating systems”.
- “Oil or gas heating systems”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,983 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.5 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann, 7.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Wattwil (9,262 residents), 13 km away.
All indicators for Nesslau
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 | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.4% | 19.9% | 20.7% | ranked 246 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,555 | 280,853 | 4,927,050 | ranked 462 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 44.2% | 23.5% | 23.3% | ranked 185 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 17.3% | 24.8% | 25.3% | ranked 1,411 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 75.8% | 64.1% | 69.5% | ranked 477 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 19.4% | 52.2% | 53.5% | ranked 1,761 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 26.6% | 30.7% | 13.7% | ranked 326 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 37.8% | 9.0% | 12.4% | ranked 144 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 8.7% | 6.0% | 1.4% | ranked 278 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 266 | 26,111 | 329,600 | ranked 335 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,629 kW | 1,325 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 413 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 57.1 GWh/year | 4,072 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 259 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 14,506 kWh/inh. | 7,485 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 285 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 432 | 39,699 | 728,011 | ranked 325 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 256 | 42,658 | 762,757 | ranked 595 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 65.0 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 897 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 60.5% | 65.2% | 65.7% | ranked 1,352 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 29.3% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 872 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 2,015 | 317,461 | 5,679,518 | ranked 466 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 511.8 | 583.5 | 362.9 | ranked 463 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 61.0% | 64.9% | 63.6% | ranked 989 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 18.2% | 30.3% | 24.2% | ranked 1,198 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Nesslau | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 9.6% | 27.2% | 18.9% | ranked 1,556 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Nesslau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nesslau?
Nesslau has 3,937 residents (2025), ranking 568 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Nesslau?
Nesslau covers 92.7 km², with a density of 42 people per km².
Is the population of Nesslau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Nesslau went from 3,611 to 3,937, a change of +9.0%.
Where is Nesslau?
Nesslau is in St. Gallen. It belongs to Wahlkreis Toggenburg (district). Latitude 47.230, longitude 9.218.
Oil or gas heating systems: what is the figure for Nesslau?
In Nesslau, “Oil or gas heating systems” stands at 19.4% (2026), ranking 1,761 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 53.5%.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Nesslau?
In Nesslau, “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946” stands at 44.2% (2026), ranking 185 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 23.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nesslau?
In Nesslau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,159 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nesslau?
The nearest to Nesslau are Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann (7.1 km), Ebnat-Kappel (8.1 km), Amden (11 km), Schönengrund (11 km), Urnäsch (11 km).