Balerna: population and statistics
Balerna has a population of 3,415 (2025) across 2.5 km², or 1,350 people per km². It ranks 646 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +0.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,415 residents
- 2.5 km²
- 1,350 people/km²
- 274 m
Key points
Among the 100 municipalities in Ticino, Balerna ranks No. 25 by population.
Wood heating systems: 0.8% in Balerna, compared with an average of 11.5% in Ticino and 9.3% nationally.
Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants: 1,340 in Balerna, compared with an average of 698.3 in Ticino and 622.5 nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 1,368 kWh a year here.
Balerna in numbers
Where is Balerna?
Population of Balerna over time
Balerna had 3,390 residents in 2015 and 3,415 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,240 |
| 2021 | 3,276 |
| 2022 | 3,291 |
| 2023 | 3,335 |
| 2024 | 3,356 |
| 2025 | 3,415 |
Did you know?
- “Wood heating systems”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 354 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.8 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Coldrerio, 1.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mendrisio (15,076 residents), 2.3 km away.
All indicators for Balerna
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 | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.9% | 24.3% | 20.7% | ranked 404 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,181 | 260,627 | 4,927,050 | ranked 558 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 18.4% | 20.3% | 23.3% | ranked 1,157 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 13.1% | 20.4% | 25.3% | ranked 1,596 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 45.3% | 62.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,706 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 84.5% | 59.8% | 53.5% | ranked 43 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 9.7% | 12.4% | 13.7% | ranked 1,271 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 0.8% | 11.5% | 12.4% | ranked 1,788 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.5% | 1.2% | 1.4% | ranked 1,240 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 136 | 16,017 | 329,600 | ranked 820 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,656 kW | 915.9 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 398 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 60.7 GWh/year | 3,370 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 237 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 17,763 kWh/inh. | 9,438 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 139 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 529 | 40,256 | 728,011 | ranked 261 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 536 | 42,118 | 762,757 | ranked 273 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 157.0 | 117.1 | 64.9 | ranked 35 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 78.9% | 72.1% | 65.7% | ranked 79 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 15.5% | 23.0% | 29.0% | ranked 1,743 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 4,576 | 249,351 | 5,679,518 | ranked 211 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1,340 | 698.3 | 362.9 | ranked 36 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 73.3% | 78.3% | 63.6% | ranked 538 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 26.6% | 20.2% | 24.2% | ranked 781 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Balerna | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 29.9% | 29.8% | 18.9% | ranked 299 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Balerna
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Balerna?
Balerna has 3,415 residents (2025), ranking 646 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Balerna?
Balerna covers 2.5 km², with a density of 1,350 people per km².
Is the population of Balerna growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Balerna went from 3,390 to 3,415, a change of +0.7%.
Where is Balerna?
Balerna is in Ticino. It belongs to Distretto di Mendrisio (district). Latitude 45.850, longitude 9.000.
Wood heating systems: what is the figure for Balerna?
In Balerna, “Wood heating systems” stands at 0.8% (2026), ranking 1,788 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 12.4%.
Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Balerna?
In Balerna, “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 1,340 (2024), ranking 36 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 362.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Balerna?
In Balerna, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 1,368 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Balerna?
The nearest to Balerna are Coldrerio (1.3 km), Morbio Inferiore (1.3 km), Novazzano (1.3 km), Mendrisio (2.3 km), Breggia (2.3 km).