Erlen: population and statistics
Erlen has a population of 4,028 (2025) across 12.2 km², or 330 people per km². It ranks 549 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,028 residents
- 12.2 km²
- 330 people/km²
- 458 m
Key points
Among the 80 municipalities in Thurgau, Erlen ranks No. 20 by population.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: 2,652 kW in Erlen, compared with an average of 1,628 kW in Thurgau and 919.4 kW nationally.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 15.5% in Erlen, compared with an average of 20.0% in Thurgau and 19.8% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,155 kWh a year here.
Erlen in numbers
Where is Erlen?
Population of Erlen over time
Erlen had 3,624 residents in 2015 and 4,028 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,802 |
| 2021 | 3,847 |
| 2022 | 3,888 |
| 2023 | 3,939 |
| 2024 | 3,980 |
| 2025 | 4,028 |
Did you know?
- “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in industry and construction”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,707 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sulgen, 3.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Amriswil (15,225 residents), 5.0 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,620 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Erlen
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 | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 15.5% | 20.0% | 20.7% | ranked 1,665 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,835 | 150,781 | 4,927,050 | ranked 657 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 25.9% | 23.6% | 23.3% | ranked 758 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 27.5% | 29.8% | 25.3% | ranked 754 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 77.7% | 69.2% | 69.5% | ranked 361 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 61.0% | 61.9% | 53.5% | ranked 649 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 21.4% | 19.9% | 13.7% | ranked 509 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 13.4% | 10.7% | 12.4% | ranked 850 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.8% | 4.2% | 1.4% | ranked 1,069 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 298 | 16,905 | 329,600 | ranked 275 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2,652 kW | 1,628 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 92 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 47.0 GWh/year | 2,818 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 366 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 11,678 kWh/inh. | 9,306 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 555 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 236 | 22,185 | 728,011 | ranked 650 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 243 | 23,532 | 762,757 | ranked 626 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 60.3 | 77.7 | 64.9 | ranked 1,102 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 66.7% | 68.3% | 65.7% | ranked 813 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 31.3% | 27.0% | 29.0% | ranked 698 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,438 | 149,746 | 5,679,518 | ranked 635 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 357.0 | 494.5 | 362.9 | ranked 927 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 41.3% | 64.1% | 63.6% | ranked 1,565 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 46.9% | 28.3% | 24.2% | ranked 167 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Erlen | Thurgau | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 29.8% | 27.9% | 18.9% | ranked 303 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Erlen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Erlen?
Erlen has 4,028 residents (2025), ranking 549 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Erlen?
Erlen covers 12.2 km², with a density of 330 people per km².
Is the population of Erlen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Erlen went from 3,624 to 4,028, a change of +11.1%.
Where is Erlen?
Erlen is in Thurgau. It belongs to Bezirk Weinfelden (district). Latitude 47.550, longitude 9.233.
Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Erlen?
In Erlen, “Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 2,652 kW (2026), ranking 92 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1,134 kW.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Erlen?
In Erlen, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 15.5% (2025), ranking 1,665 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 20.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Erlen?
In Erlen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,155 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Erlen?
The nearest to Erlen are Sulgen (3.1 km), Sommeri (4.2 km), Zihlschlacht-Sitterdorf (4.4 km), Birwinken (4.5 km), Langrickenbach (5.0 km).