Vacallo: population and statistics
Vacallo has a population of 3,511 (2025) across 1.6 km², or 2,208 people per km². It ranks 629 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,511 residents
- 1.6 km²
- 2,208 people/km²
- 388 m
Key points
Among the 100 municipalities in Ticino, Vacallo ranks No. 23 by population.
District heating: 0.0% in Vacallo, compared with an average of 1.2% in Ticino and 7.3% nationally.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: 4.3% in Vacallo, compared with an average of 20.3% in Ticino and 22.4% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 1,373 kWh a year here.
Vacallo in numbers
Where is Vacallo?
Population of Vacallo over time
Vacallo had 3,419 residents in 2015 and 3,511 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,363 |
| 2021 | 3,332 |
| 2022 | 3,346 |
| 2023 | 3,463 |
| 2024 | 3,491 |
| 2025 | 3,511 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 223 football pitches.
- Its population density is 9.5 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Morbio Inferiore, 1.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Chiasso (7,677 residents), 1.6 km away.
All indicators for Vacallo
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 | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.0% | 24.3% | 20.7% | ranked 391 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,049 | 260,627 | 4,927,050 | ranked 587 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 4.3% | 20.3% | 23.3% | ranked 1,786 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 28.1% | 20.4% | 25.3% | ranked 720 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 57.8% | 62.1% | 69.5% | ranked 1,453 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 85.4% | 59.8% | 53.5% | ranked 30 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.6% | 12.4% | 13.7% | ranked 1,452 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 2.1% | 11.5% | 12.4% | ranked 1,695 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.0% | 1.2% | 1.4% | ranked 1,506 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 142 | 16,017 | 329,600 | ranked 769 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 504.3 kW | 915.9 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,666 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 22.1 GWh/year | 3,370 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 945 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 6,289 kWh/inh. | 9,438 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,494 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 212 | 40,256 | 728,011 | ranked 725 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 190 | 42,118 | 762,757 | ranked 769 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 54.1 | 117.1 | 64.9 | ranked 1,370 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 74.2% | 72.1% | 65.7% | ranked 231 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 23.2% | 23.0% | 29.0% | ranked 1,405 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 590 | 249,351 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,079 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 168.0 | 698.3 | 362.9 | ranked 1,667 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 83.7% | 78.3% | 63.6% | ranked 223 of 1,804 |
Society
| Indicator | Vacallo | Ticino | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 33.5% | 29.8% | 18.9% | ranked 178 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Vacallo
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vacallo?
Vacallo has 3,511 residents (2025), ranking 629 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Vacallo?
Vacallo covers 1.6 km², with a density of 2,208 people per km².
Is the population of Vacallo growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Vacallo went from 3,419 to 3,511, a change of +2.7%.
Where is Vacallo?
Vacallo is in Ticino. It belongs to Distretto di Mendrisio (district). Latitude 45.850, longitude 9.033.
District heating: what is the figure for Vacallo?
In Vacallo, “District heating” stands at 0.0% (2026), ranking 1,506 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Dwellings in buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Vacallo?
In Vacallo, “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946” stands at 4.3% (2026), ranking 1,786 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 23.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vacallo?
In Vacallo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 1,373 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vacallo?
The nearest to Vacallo are Morbio Inferiore (1.3 km), Breggia (1.6 km), Chiasso (1.6 km), Balerna (2.6 km), Castel San Pietro (3.9 km).