Lens: population and statistics
Lens has a population of 4,590 (2025) across 13.9 km², or 330 people per km². It ranks 482 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +15.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,590 residents
- 13.9 km²
- 330 people/km²
- 1,138 m
Key points
Among the 122 municipalities in Valais, Lens ranks No. 22 by population.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: 83.0% in Lens, compared with an average of 72.6% in Valais and 68.6% nationally.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 29.8% in Lens, compared with an average of 21.2% in Valais and 19.8% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 1,504 kWh a year here.
Lens in numbers
Where is Lens?
Population of Lens over time
Lens had 3,986 residents in 2015 and 4,590 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,317 |
| 2021 | 4,306 |
| 2022 | 4,406 |
| 2023 | 4,536 |
| 2024 | 4,570 |
| 2025 | 4,590 |
Did you know?
- “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,947 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Icogne, 1.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Crans-Montana (10,782 residents), 4.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 6,016 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Lens
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 | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.8% | 21.2% | 20.7% | ranked 57 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 5,491 | 284,329 | 4,927,050 | ranked 170 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 6.2% | 15.6% | 23.3% | ranked 1,742 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 16.5% | 28.0% | 25.3% | ranked 1,443 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 62.7% | 63.4% | 69.5% | ranked 1,254 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 62.9% | 49.8% | 53.5% | ranked 601 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 18.2% | 12.0% | 13.7% | ranked 646 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 4.1% | 13.0% | 12.4% | ranked 1,518 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 0.2% | 3.4% | 1.4% | ranked 1,440 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 259 | 18,204 | 329,600 | ranked 350 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 667.4 kW | 1,004 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,517 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 60.8 GWh/year | 3,880 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 234 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 13,253 kWh/inh. | 10,316 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 383 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 412 | 32,476 | 728,011 | ranked 344 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 595 | 35,035 | 762,757 | ranked 246 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 129.6 | 93.1 | 64.9 | ranked 83 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 83.0% | 72.6% | 65.7% | ranked 29 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 12.9% | 20.9% | 29.0% | ranked 1,773 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 2,037 | 202,116 | 5,679,518 | ranked 459 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 443.8 | 537.6 | 362.9 | ranked 632 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 81.0% | 71.1% | 63.6% | ranked 298 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 9.7% | 21.0% | 24.2% | ranked 1,563 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Lens | Valais | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 33.8% | 26.5% | 18.9% | ranked 173 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Lens
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lens?
Lens has 4,590 residents (2025), ranking 482 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Lens?
Lens covers 13.9 km², with a density of 330 people per km².
Is the population of Lens growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lens went from 3,986 to 4,590, a change of +15.2%.
Where is Lens?
Lens is in Valais. It belongs to District de Sierre (district). Latitude 46.281, longitude 7.447.
Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities: what is the figure for Lens?
In Lens, “Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities” stands at 83.0% (2026), ranking 29 of 1,808 municipalities; the national median is 65.7%.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Lens?
In Lens, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 29.8% (2025), ranking 57 of 1,811 municipalities; the national median is 20.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lens?
In Lens, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 1,504 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lens?
The nearest to Lens are Icogne (1.1 km), Saint-Léonard (3.1 km), Grône (3.4 km), Chalais (4.3 km), Crans-Montana (4.4 km).