Lausanne: population and statistics
Lausanne has a population of 145,596 (2025) across 41.4 km², or 3,519 people per km². It ranks 4 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 145,596 residents
- 41.4 km²
- 3,519 people/km²
- 584 m
Key points
Among the 300 municipalities in Vaud, Lausanne ranks No. 1 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,285 kWh a year here.
Lausanne in numbers
Where is Lausanne?
Population of Lausanne over time
Lausanne had 135,629 residents in 2015 and 145,596 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 140,202 |
| 2021 | 140,619 |
| 2022 | 141,418 |
| 2023 | 144,160 |
| 2024 | 144,873 |
| 2025 | 145,596 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Vaud for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Vaud for “Dwellings”.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Photovoltaic installations”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,794 football pitches.
- Its population density is 15.1 times the national average.
All indicators for Lausanne
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 | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.5% | 17.1% | 20.7% | ranked 1,741 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 83,284 | 449,691 | 4,927,050 | ranked 5 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 33.6% | 25.9% | 23.3% | ranked 463 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 14.2% | 24.7% | 25.3% | ranked 1,555 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 26.5% | 52.6% | 69.5% | ranked 1,792 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 74.2% | 72.6% | 53.5% | ranked 222 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 2.9% | 6.9% | 13.7% | ranked 1,766 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 1.9% | 5.6% | 12.4% | ranked 1,707 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 18.9% | 5.5% | 1.4% | ranked 84 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 1,224 | 36,655 | 329,600 | ranked 11 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 214.2 kW | 784.6 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,785 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 434.1 GWh/year | 6,033 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 5 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 2,982 kWh/inh. | 6,985 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,796 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 13,911 | 67,877 | 728,011 | ranked 5 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 12,704 | 67,255 | 762,757 | ranked 6 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 87.3 | 77.9 | 64.9 | ranked 328 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 70.3% | 67.6% | 65.7% | ranked 492 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 23.6% | 26.9% | 29.0% | ranked 1,375 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 131,223 | 498,823 | 5,679,518 | ranked 5 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 901.3 | 577.7 | 362.9 | ranked 102 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 94.9% | 79.0% | 63.6% | ranked 18 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 5.0% | 16.3% | 24.2% | ranked 1,725 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Lausanne | Vaud | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 42.9% | 34.3% | 18.9% | ranked 51 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Lausanne
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lausanne?
Lausanne has 145,596 residents (2025), ranking 4 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Lausanne?
Lausanne covers 41.4 km², with a density of 3,519 people per km².
Is the population of Lausanne growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lausanne went from 135,629 to 145,596, a change of +7.3%.
Where is Lausanne?
Lausanne is in Vaud. It belongs to District de Lausanne (district). Latitude 46.533, longitude 6.633.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Lausanne?
In Lausanne, “Dwellings” stands at 83,284 (2026), ranking 5 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Lausanne?
In Lausanne, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 1,224 (2026), ranking 11 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lausanne?
In Lausanne, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,285 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lausanne?
The nearest to Lausanne are Le Mont-sur-Lausanne (1.9 km), Prilly (2.5 km), Jouxtens-Mézery (3.2 km), Pully (3.2 km), Epalinges (3.2 km).