Chalais: population and statistics
Chalais has a population of 3,981 (2025) across 24.3 km², or 164 people per km². It ranks 557 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +16.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,981 residents
- 24.3 km²
- 164 people/km²
- 512 m
Key points
Among the 122 municipalities in Valais, Chalais ranks No. 27 by population.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 76.7% in Chalais, compared with an average of 72.6% in Valais and 68.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,334 kWh a year here.
Chalais in numbers
Where is Chalais?
Population of Chalais over time
Chalais had 3,410 residents in 2015 and 3,981 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,606 |
| 2021 | 3,707 |
| 2022 | 3,759 |
| 2023 | 3,905 |
| 2024 | 3,927 |
| 2025 | 3,981 |
Did you know?
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,409 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Chippis, 3.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sierre (18,059 residents), 3.7 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,336 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Chalais
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 | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.7% | 21.2% | 20.7% | ranked 741 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 3,231 | 284,329 | 4,927,050 | ranked 334 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 15.6% | 15.6% | 23.3% | ranked 1,326 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 22.4% | 28.0% | 25.3% | ranked 1,088 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 75.3% | 63.4% | 69.5% | ranked 511 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 51.1% | 49.8% | 53.5% | ranked 998 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 8.7% | 12.0% | 13.7% | ranked 1,352 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 16.8% | 13.0% | 12.4% | ranked 675 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.2% | 3.4% | 1.4% | ranked 1,413 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 293 | 18,204 | 329,600 | ranked 287 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,533 kW | 1,004 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 504 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 43.0 GWh/year | 3,880 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 424 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 10,809 kWh/inh. | 10,316 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 679 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 274 | 32,476 | 728,011 | ranked 553 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 270 | 35,035 | 762,757 | ranked 563 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 67.8 | 93.1 | 64.9 | ranked 797 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 76.7% | 72.6% | 65.7% | ranked 126 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 21.1% | 20.9% | 29.0% | ranked 1,537 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,263 | 202,116 | 5,679,518 | ranked 707 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 317.3 | 537.6 | 362.9 | ranked 1,084 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 57.2% | 71.1% | 63.6% | ranked 1,117 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 37.5% | 21.0% | 24.2% | ranked 356 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Chalais | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 21.8% | 26.5% | 18.9% | ranked 693 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Chalais
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Chalais?
Chalais has 3,981 residents (2025), ranking 557 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Chalais?
Chalais covers 24.3 km², with a density of 164 people per km².
Is the population of Chalais growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Chalais went from 3,410 to 3,981, a change of +16.7%.
Where is Chalais?
Chalais is in Valais. It belongs to District de Sierre (district). Latitude 46.267, longitude 7.500.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Chalais?
In Chalais, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 76.7% (2026), ranking 126 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Chalais?
In Chalais, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 293 (2026), ranking 287 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Chalais?
In Chalais, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,334 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Chalais?
The nearest to Chalais are Chippis (3.2 km), Sierre (3.7 km), Grône (4.3 km), Lens (4.3 km), Noble-Contrée (4.5 km).