Orselina: population and statistics
Orselina has a population of 682 (2025) across 2.0 km², or 341 people per km². It ranks 1,665 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −10.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 682 residents
- 2.0 km²
- 341 people/km²
- 571 m
Key points
Among the 100 municipalities in Ticino, Orselina ranks No. 80 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 42.7% in Orselina, compared with an average of 24.3% in Ticino and 19.8% nationally.
Share of jobs in services: 97.0% in Orselina, compared with an average of 78.3% in Ticino and 73.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 1,362 kWh a year here.
Orselina in numbers
Where is Orselina?
Population of Orselina over time
Orselina had 759 residents in 2015 and 682 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 706 |
| 2021 | 699 |
| 2022 | 701 |
| 2023 | 699 |
| 2024 | 687 |
| 2025 | 682 |
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of jobs in services”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 280 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Brione sopra Minusio, 1.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Minusio (7,273 residents), 1.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,448 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Orselina
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 | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 42.7% | 24.3% | 20.7% | ranked 1 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,231 | 260,627 | 4,927,050 | ranked 909 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.2% | 20.3% | 23.3% | ranked 905 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 10.4% | 20.4% | 25.3% | ranked 1,670 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 61.3% | 62.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,311 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 42.0% | 59.8% | 53.5% | ranked 1,318 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 17.4% | 12.4% | 13.7% | ranked 706 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 15.4% | 11.5% | 12.4% | ranked 745 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.5% | 1.2% | 1.4% | ranked 1,264 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 86 | 16,017 | 329,600 | ranked 1,202 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,604 kW | 915.9 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 429 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 12.2 GWh/year | 3,370 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,405 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 17,845 kWh/inh. | 9,438 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 136 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 66 | 40,256 | 728,011 | ranked 1,543 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 70 | 42,118 | 762,757 | ranked 1,389 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 102.6 | 117.1 | 64.9 | ranked 177 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 70.0% | 72.1% | 65.7% | ranked 518 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 24.3% | 23.0% | 29.0% | ranked 1,324 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 500 | 249,351 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,165 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 733.1 | 698.3 | 362.9 | ranked 177 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 97.0% | 78.3% | 63.6% | ranked 6 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 3.0% | 20.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,759 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Orselina | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 20.4% | 29.8% | 18.9% | ranked 784 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Orselina
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Orselina?
Orselina has 682 residents (2025), ranking 1,665 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Orselina?
Orselina covers 2.0 km², with a density of 341 people per km².
Is the population of Orselina growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Orselina went from 759 to 682, a change of −10.1%.
Where is Orselina?
Orselina is in Ticino. It belongs to Distretto di Locarno (district). Latitude 46.183, longitude 8.800.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Orselina?
In Orselina, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 42.7% (2025), ranking 1 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 20.7%.
Share of jobs in services: what is the figure for Orselina?
In Orselina, “Share of jobs in services” stands at 97.0% (2024), ranking 6 of 1,804 municipalities; the national median is 63.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Orselina?
In Orselina, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 1,362 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Orselina?
The nearest to Orselina are Brione sopra Minusio (1.3 km), Minusio (1.3 km), Muralto (1.9 km), Locarno (1.9 km), Tenero-Contra (3.8 km).