Pfäfers: population and statistics
Pfäfers has a population of 1,647 (2025) across 128.5 km², or 12.8 people per km². It ranks 1,098 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,647 residents
- 128.5 km²
- 13 people/km²
- 1,072 m
Key points
Among the 75 municipalities in St. Gallen, Pfäfers ranks No. 67 by population.
District heating: 0.0% in Pfäfers, compared with an average of 6.0% in St. Gallen and 7.3% nationally.
Share of jobs in industry and construction: 4.2% in Pfäfers, compared with an average of 30.3% in St. Gallen and 22.0% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 32° generates about 1,053 kWh a year here.
Pfäfers in numbers
Where is Pfäfers?
Population of Pfäfers over time
Pfäfers had 1,573 residents in 2015 and 1,647 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,528 |
| 2021 | 1,544 |
| 2022 | 1,563 |
| 2023 | 1,601 |
| 2024 | 1,624 |
| 2025 | 1,647 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in St. Gallen for “Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities”.
- “District heating”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in industry and construction”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 18,001 football pitches.
- Its population density is 18.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Bad Ragaz (6,836 residents), 1.9 km away.
All indicators for Pfäfers
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 | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.2% | 19.9% | 20.7% | ranked 376 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,191 | 280,853 | 4,927,050 | ranked 936 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 29.1% | 23.5% | 23.3% | ranked 620 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 10.8% | 24.8% | 25.3% | ranked 1,655 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 74.2% | 64.1% | 69.5% | ranked 599 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 37.5% | 52.2% | 53.5% | ranked 1,433 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 25.5% | 30.7% | 13.7% | ranked 360 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 34.7% | 9.0% | 12.4% | ranked 184 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.0% | 6.0% | 1.4% | ranked 1,506 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 92 | 26,111 | 329,600 | ranked 1,156 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,003 kW | 1,325 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,094 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 18.7 GWh/year | 4,072 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,071 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 11,342 kWh/inh. | 7,485 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 610 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 137 | 39,699 | 728,011 | ranked 1,029 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 77 | 42,658 | 762,757 | ranked 1,336 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 46.8 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 1,618 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 46.8% | 65.2% | 65.7% | ranked 1,765 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 46.8% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 42 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,167 | 317,461 | 5,679,518 | ranked 745 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 708.6 | 583.5 | 362.9 | ranked 200 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 86.5% | 64.9% | 63.6% | ranked 144 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 4.2% | 30.3% | 24.2% | ranked 1,741 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Pfäfers | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 15.5% | 27.2% | 18.9% | ranked 1,152 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Pfäfers
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pfäfers?
Pfäfers has 1,647 residents (2025), ranking 1,098 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Pfäfers?
Pfäfers covers 128.5 km², with a density of 13 people per km².
Is the population of Pfäfers growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Pfäfers went from 1,573 to 1,647, a change of +4.7%.
Where is Pfäfers?
Pfäfers is in St. Gallen. It belongs to Wahlkreis Sarganserland (district). Latitude 46.983, longitude 9.500.
District heating: what is the figure for Pfäfers?
In Pfäfers, “District heating” stands at 0.0% (2026), ranking 1,506 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Share of jobs in industry and construction: what is the figure for Pfäfers?
In Pfäfers, “Share of jobs in industry and construction” stands at 4.2% (2024), ranking 1,741 of 1,776 municipalities; the national median is 24.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Pfäfers?
In Pfäfers, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 32° produces about 1,053 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Pfäfers?
The nearest to Pfäfers are Bad Ragaz (1.9 km), Maienfeld (3.6 km), Jenins (4.2 km), Vilters-Wangs (5.3 km), Malans (5.8 km).