Schänis: population and statistics
Schänis has a population of 4,213 (2025) across 39.9 km², or 106 people per km². It ranks 531 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +12.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,213 residents
- 39.9 km²
- 106 people/km²
- 423 m
Key points
Among the 75 municipalities in St. Gallen, Schänis ranks No. 44 by population.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 56.2% in Schänis, compared with an average of 65.2% in St. Gallen and 68.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,138 kWh a year here.
Schänis in numbers
Where is Schänis?
Population of Schänis over time
Schänis had 3,762 residents in 2015 and 4,213 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,923 |
| 2021 | 3,951 |
| 2022 | 4,021 |
| 2023 | 4,154 |
| 2024 | 4,172 |
| 2025 | 4,213 |
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,588 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Weesen, 4.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Glarus Nord (19,849 residents), 6.7 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,552 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Schänis
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 | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.4% | 19.9% | 20.7% | ranked 1,144 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,902 | 280,853 | 4,927,050 | ranked 636 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.4% | 23.5% | 23.3% | ranked 994 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 26.3% | 24.8% | 25.3% | ranked 841 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 77.2% | 64.1% | 69.5% | ranked 404 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 42.0% | 52.2% | 53.5% | ranked 1,315 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 29.0% | 30.7% | 13.7% | ranked 268 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 24.2% | 9.0% | 12.4% | ranked 387 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 3.2% | 6.0% | 1.4% | ranked 615 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 294 | 26,111 | 329,600 | ranked 285 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,432 kW | 1,325 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 603 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 36.8 GWh/year | 4,072 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 533 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 8,723 kWh/inh. | 7,485 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,028 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 319 | 39,699 | 728,011 | ranked 466 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 233 | 42,658 | 762,757 | ranked 653 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 55.3 | 78.4 | 64.9 | ranked 1,332 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 56.2% | 65.2% | 65.7% | ranked 1,569 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 37.8% | 29.2% | 29.0% | ranked 244 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,585 | 317,461 | 5,679,518 | ranked 586 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 376.2 | 583.5 | 362.9 | ranked 858 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 56.9% | 64.9% | 63.6% | ranked 1,135 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 28.3% | 30.3% | 24.2% | ranked 699 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Schänis | St. Gallen | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 16.4% | 27.2% | 18.9% | ranked 1,092 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Schänis
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Schänis?
Schänis has 4,213 residents (2025), ranking 531 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Schänis?
Schänis covers 39.9 km², with a density of 106 people per km².
Is the population of Schänis growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Schänis went from 3,762 to 4,213, a change of +12.0%.
Where is Schänis?
Schänis is in St. Gallen. It belongs to Wahlkreis See-Gaster (district). Latitude 47.159, longitude 9.047.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Schänis?
In Schänis, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 56.2% (2026), ranking 1,569 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Schänis?
In Schänis, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 294 (2026), ranking 285 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Schänis?
In Schänis, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,138 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Schänis?
The nearest to Schänis are Weesen (4.0 km), Benken (SG) (5.4 km), Reichenburg (5.6 km), Kaltbrunn (6.5 km), Glarus Nord (6.7 km).