Locarno: population and statistics
Locarno has a population of 16,463 (2025) across 18.7 km², or 881 people per km². It ranks 84 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 16,463 residents
- 18.7 km²
- 881 people/km²
- 203 m
Key points
Among the 100 municipalities in Ticino, Locarno ranks No. 3 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 1,371 kWh a year here.
Locarno in numbers
Where is Locarno?
Population of Locarno over time
Locarno had 15,968 residents in 2015 and 16,463 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 15,728 |
| 2021 | 16,075 |
| 2022 | 16,241 |
| 2023 | 16,394 |
| 2024 | 16,374 |
| 2025 | 16,463 |
Did you know?
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Rooftop solar electricity potential”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,618 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.8 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Muralto, 0.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Bellinzona (45,828 residents), 18 km away.
All indicators for Locarno
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 | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.8% | 24.3% | 20.7% | ranked 212 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 12,403 | 260,627 | 4,927,050 | ranked 41 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 17.8% | 20.3% | 23.3% | ranked 1,196 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 25.5% | 20.4% | 25.3% | ranked 885 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 47.7% | 62.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,680 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 55.9% | 59.8% | 53.5% | ranked 838 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 14.8% | 12.4% | 13.7% | ranked 847 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 9.5% | 11.5% | 12.4% | ranked 1,094 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.4% | ranked 863 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 417 | 16,017 | 329,600 | ranked 131 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 644.5 kW | 915.9 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,539 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 117.2 GWh/year | 3,370 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 56 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,116 kWh/inh. | 9,438 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,367 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 2,012 | 40,256 | 728,011 | ranked 41 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,546 | 42,118 | 762,757 | ranked 73 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 93.9 | 117.1 | 64.9 | ranked 245 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 66.0% | 72.1% | 65.7% | ranked 868 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 27.4% | 23.0% | 29.0% | ranked 1,043 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 13,265 | 249,351 | 5,679,518 | ranked 65 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 805.7 | 698.3 | 362.9 | ranked 143 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 82.7% | 78.3% | 63.6% | ranked 254 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 16.6% | 20.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,268 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Locarno | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 36.1% | 29.8% | 18.9% | ranked 135 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Locarno
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Locarno?
Locarno has 16,463 residents (2025), ranking 84 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Locarno?
Locarno covers 18.7 km², with a density of 881 people per km².
Is the population of Locarno growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Locarno went from 15,968 to 16,463, a change of +3.1%.
Where is Locarno?
Locarno is in Ticino. It belongs to Distretto di Locarno (district). Latitude 46.166, longitude 8.800.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Locarno?
In Locarno, “Dwellings” stands at 12,403 (2026), ranking 41 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Establishments: what is the figure for Locarno?
In Locarno, “Establishments” stands at 2,012 (2024), ranking 41 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Locarno?
In Locarno, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 1,371 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Locarno?
The nearest to Locarno are Muralto (0.0 km), Orselina (1.9 km), Brione sopra Minusio (2.3 km), Minusio (2.3 km), Ascona (3.1 km).