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Switzerland · canton

Bern population 2026

Bern has 1,071,216 people on the latest official figure, for 1 January 2025, 7,683 more than a year earlier (+0.72%). It is 2nd of Switzerland’s 26 cantons by population, home to 11.8% of Switzerland’s people.

If last year’s change continues: about 1.1 million by 1 July 2026. That is our arithmetic, not an official figure.

Bern in numbers

Population
1.1 million 1 January 2025
Change in a year
+0.72% +7,683 people
Change since 2020
+3.05% from 1 million
Share of Switzerland
11.8% 2nd of 26 cantons
Population density
180per km² 5,959 km²

That is about as many people as Djibouti (1.2 million).

Population of Bern by year

Population of Bern
1.1M
› Show the numbers as a table
YearPopulation
2012985,046
2013992,617
20141,001,281
20151,009,418
20161,017,483
20171,026,513
20181,031,126
20191,034,977
20201,039,474
20211,043,132
20221,047,473
20231,051,437
20241,063,533
20251,071,216
YearPopulationChange
2025 1,071,216 +7,683
2024 1,063,533 +12,096
2023 1,051,437 +3,964
2022 1,047,473 +4,341
2021 1,043,132 +3,658
2020 1,039,474 +4,497
2019 1,034,977 +3,851
2018 1,031,126 +4,613
2017 1,026,513 +9,030
2016 1,017,483 +8,065
2015 1,009,418 +8,137
2014 1,001,281 +8,664
2013 992,617 +7,571
2012 985,046 –

Bern among Switzerland’s cantons

Full ranking →
Cantons of Switzerland by population
#
1 Zurich1,620,020+0.90%
2 Bern1,071,216+0.72%
3 Vaud855,106+1.09%
4 Aargau735,808+1.23%
5 St. Gallen540,036+0.92%
6 Geneva531,102+1.28%
7 Lucerne437,944+1.20%
8 Valais371,288+1.49%
9 Ticino358,903+0.33%
10 Fribourg346,674+1.50%
11 Basel-Landschaft301,323+0.83%
12 Thurgau299,509+1.45%
13 Solothurn289,792+1.03%
14 Graubünden206,138+0.61%
15 Basel-Stadt201,384+0.68%
16 Neuchâtel179,518+0.69%
17 Schwyz168,931+0.91%
18 Zug133,739+0.89%
19 Schaffhausen88,667+1.79%
20 Jura74,840+0.39%
21 Appenzell Ausserrhoden56,705+0.37%
22 Nidwalden45,345+0.73%
23 Glarus42,371+0.75%
24 Obwalden39,662+0.99%
25 Uri38,275+0.91%
26 Appenzell Innerrhoden16,733+0.89%

Largest cities in Bern

City proper, not the wider metro area; latest figure in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), so years differ.

  1. Bern121,631
  2. Biel/Bienne55,120
  3. Thun43,723
  4. Köniz41,784
  5. Burgdorf16,420
  6. Steffisburg15,709

Air quality in Bern today

Hourly AQI and a 48-hour forecast.

Bern

Questions

What is the population of Bern in 2026?
The latest official figure is 1,071,216, for 1 January 2025 (Eurostat). If last year’s change continues, Bern would have about 1.1 million people by 1 July 2026; that is our arithmetic, not an official figure. Eurostat updates regional populations once a year.

Is Bern’s population growing or shrinking?
It grew by 7,683 people (+0.72%) in the latest year, and has changed +3.05% since 2020.

How does Bern rank in Switzerland?
Bern is 2nd of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, with 11.8% of the people. Zurich is the largest, with 1.6 million.

What is the population density of Bern?
About 180 people per km², on 5,959 km². Total area, Wikidata.

What is the largest city in Bern?
Bern, with about 122 thousand people in the city proper. Metro areas are larger, and years differ (GeoNames).

Source and method

Eurostat, population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). Eurostat reuse policy (CC BY 4.0). Total area, Wikidata. Eurostat updates regional populations once a year. Ranks, shares and changes are our arithmetic on the published figures. National figures can differ from the UN’s projection for Switzerland, which uses a different method. The 2026 figure above carries last year’s change forward; it does not come from the source.

Cite this page: Bern population, Eurostat, 1 January 2025. GlobeMetrics, https://globemetrics.org/world-population/switzerland/bern/

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