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Switzerland · canton

St. Gallen population 2026

St. Gallen has 540,036 people on the latest official figure, for 1 January 2025, 4,922 more than a year earlier (+0.92%). It is 5th of Switzerland’s 26 cantons by population, home to 6.0% of Switzerland’s people.

If last year’s change continues: about 547 thousand by 1 July 2026. That is our arithmetic, not an official figure.

St. Gallen in numbers

Population
540 thousand 1 January 2025
Change in a year
+0.92% +4,922 people
Change since 2020
+5.74% from 511 thousand
Share of Switzerland
6.0% 5th of 26 cantons
Population density
266per km² 2,031 km²

That is about as many people as Maldives (532 thousand).

Population of St. Gallen by year

Population of St. Gallen
540k
› Show the numbers as a table
YearPopulation
2012483,156
2013487,060
2014491,699
2015495,824
2016499,065
2017502,552
2018504,686
2019507,697
2020510,734
2021514,504
2022519,245
2023525,967
2024535,114
2025540,036
YearPopulationChange
2025 540,036 +4,922
2024 535,114 +9,147
2023 525,967 +6,722
2022 519,245 +4,741
2021 514,504 +3,770
2020 510,734 +3,037
2019 507,697 +3,011
2018 504,686 +2,134
2017 502,552 +3,487
2016 499,065 +3,241
2015 495,824 +4,125
2014 491,699 +4,639
2013 487,060 +3,904
2012 483,156 –

St. Gallen 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 St. Gallen

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

  1. Sankt Gallen75,833
  2. Rapperswil34,776
  3. Wil23,955
  4. Jona17,655
  5. Gossau17,043

Questions

What is the population of St. Gallen in 2026?
The latest official figure is 540,036, for 1 January 2025 (Eurostat). If last year’s change continues, St. Gallen would have about 547 thousand people by 1 July 2026; that is our arithmetic, not an official figure. Eurostat updates regional populations once a year.

Is St. Gallen’s population growing or shrinking?
It grew by 4,922 people (+0.92%) in the latest year, and has changed +5.74% since 2020.

How does St. Gallen rank in Switzerland?
St. Gallen is 5th of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, with 6.0% of the people. Zurich is the largest, with 1.6 million.

What is the population density of St. Gallen?
About 266 people per km², on 2,031 km². Total area, Wikidata.

What is the largest city in St. Gallen?
Sankt Gallen, with about 76 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: St. Gallen population, Eurostat, 1 January 2025. GlobeMetrics, https://globemetrics.org/world-population/switzerland/st-gallen/

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