Bellinzona: population and statistics
Bellinzona has a population of 45,828 (2025) across 165.0 km², or 278 people per km². It ranks 11 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 45,828 residents
- 165.0 km²
- 278 people/km²
- 230 m
Key points
Among the 100 municipalities in Ticino, Bellinzona ranks No. 2 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,245 kWh a year here.
Bellinzona in numbers
Where is Bellinzona?
Population of Bellinzona over time
Bellinzona had 42,462 residents in 2015 and 45,828 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 43,360 |
| 2021 | 43,785 |
| 2022 | 44,270 |
| 2023 | 44,743 |
| 2024 | 45,305 |
| 2025 | 45,828 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Ticino for “Photovoltaic installations”.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Photovoltaic installations”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 23,104 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Arbedo-Castione, 3.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Lucerne (86,699 residents), 110 km away.
All indicators for Bellinzona
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 | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.8% | 24.3% | 20.7% | ranked 729 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 27,588 | 260,627 | 4,927,050 | ranked 11 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 17.6% | 20.3% | 23.3% | ranked 1,217 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 25.9% | 20.4% | 25.3% | ranked 862 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 67.7% | 62.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,000 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 53.0% | 59.8% | 53.5% | ranked 922 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 13.2% | 12.4% | 13.7% | ranked 940 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 17.6% | 11.5% | 12.4% | ranked 642 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 2.3% | 1.2% | 1.4% | ranked 728 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 1,983 | 16,017 | 329,600 | ranked 3 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 739.1 kW | 915.9 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,425 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 358.2 GWh/year | 3,370 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 8 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,816 kWh/inh. | 9,438 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,213 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 3,700 | 40,256 | 728,011 | ranked 17 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 2,749 | 42,118 | 762,757 | ranked 23 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 60.0 | 117.1 | 64.9 | ranked 1,115 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 68.4% | 72.1% | 65.7% | ranked 643 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 25.2% | 23.0% | 29.0% | ranked 1,248 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 29,198 | 249,351 | 5,679,518 | ranked 22 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 637.1 | 698.3 | 362.9 | ranked 264 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 87.9% | 78.3% | 63.6% | ranked 112 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 10.8% | 20.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,518 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Bellinzona | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 28.2% | 29.8% | 18.9% | ranked 383 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Bellinzona
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bellinzona?
Bellinzona has 45,828 residents (2025), ranking 11 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Bellinzona?
Bellinzona covers 165.0 km², with a density of 278 people per km².
Is the population of Bellinzona growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bellinzona went from 42,462 to 45,828, a change of +7.9%.
Where is Bellinzona?
Bellinzona is in Ticino. It belongs to Distretto di Bellinzona (district). Latitude 46.196, longitude 9.024.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Bellinzona?
In Bellinzona, “Dwellings” stands at 27,588 (2026), ranking 11 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Bellinzona?
In Bellinzona, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 1,983 (2026), ranking 3 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bellinzona?
In Bellinzona, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,245 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bellinzona?
The nearest to Bellinzona are Arbedo-Castione (3.1 km), Lumino (5.8 km), Sant'Antonino (5.9 km), Isone (7.6 km), Cadenazzo (7.6 km).