Bern / Berne: population, economy and official figures
Bern / Berne is a canton in Espace Mittelland, Switzerland. Bern / Berne had 1,071,216 residents on 1 January 2025, 54.6% of Espace Mittelland and 11.84% of Switzerland; 2nd largest of 26 cantons in Switzerland.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Bern / Berne: The local economy produced €92.1 billion of output (GDP) in 2022.
- Health in Bern / Berne: Health spending by the cantonal government of Bern reached CHF 2.0 billion in 2024, CHF 1,872 per resident, 9th highest of 26 cantons and 14.6% of cantonal spending.
- Education in Bern / Berne: In 2024 the cantonal government of Bern spent CHF 4.6 billion on education, 33.7% of its budget and CHF 4,304 per resident, 4th highest of 26 cantons (all cantons: CHF 3,423).
- Poverty and living standards in Bern / Berne: Social security cost the cantonal government of Bern CHF 3.0 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,779 per resident, 7th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 445.78 million of it.
- Government budget and revenue in Bern / Berne: In 2024 the cantonal government of Bern spent CHF 13.7 billion in total, or CHF 12,787 per resident, 9th highest of 26 cantons (all cantons: CHF 12,109 per resident).
- Government and politics in Bern / Berne: The canton of Bern is run by a 7-member cantonal government, elected in 2026, and a 160-seat cantonal parliament, last elected in 2026.
Is the population of Bern / Berne growing?
That is 6.1% more people than in 2015 (1,009,418).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Bern / Berne?
There were 183.3 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Bern / Berne?
The median age was 44.8 years in 2025, against 42.9 for Switzerland; 10th highest of 26 cantons in Switzerland.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Bern / Berne?
22.3% of residents were 65 or older and 14.3% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Bern / Berne?
In 2024 there were 8,727 live births and 9,872 deaths, a natural decrease of 1,145.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Bern / Berne?
It covers 5,959 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the population of Bern?
Bern had 1,076,127 permanent residents at the end of 2025, 11.8% of the Swiss population, after growing by 0.46% during the year (Switzerland: 0.84%).
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyHow fast is Bern growing?
Over ten years, from the end of 2015 to the end of 2025, the population of Bern grew by 5.8%, from 1,017,483 to 1,076,127.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyAre people moving to Bern / Berne?
The net migration rate was +8.3 per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -1.1 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In 2025 Bern recorded 8,743 live births and 9,921 deaths, a natural decrease of 1,178, while 29,324 people moved in and 23,339 moved out, a net migration gain of 5,985. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
Figures come from Switzerland's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other cantons in Espace Mittelland
- Fribourg / Freiburg 346,674
- Solothurn 289,792
- Neuchâtel 179,518
- Jura 74,840
Up a level: Espace Mittelland · all regions of Switzerland · how local power works in Switzerland
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): Angebot der Krankenhäuser nach Grossregion, Kanton und Betriebstyp, 2010-2024 (Krankenhausstatistik, px-x-1404010100_102), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 48e34cd9539b…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): Kantonale Parlamentswahlen: Mandatsverteilung nach Parteien, Geschlecht und Kantonen (elections counted up to 4 October 2026), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fd812b0d11ac…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): Kantonale Regierungswahlen: Mandatsverteilung nach Partei und Kanton (T 17.02.06.01, elections counted up to 18 October 2026), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b0f5f46a4367…)
- Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF): Detaillierte Daten FS und GFS Modell: Standardauswertungen (financial statistics of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, 1990-2024; standardauswertung.csv with its codelist, saved zipped), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5fec658d1506…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): WSH: Unterstützungseinheiten, Sozialhilfebeziehende und Sozialhilfequote der wirtschaftlichen Sozialhilfe nach Kanton, 2005-2024 (T 13.05.01.01.01), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 12ff5cd56e28…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): Bilanz der ständigen Wohnbevölkerung, nach Kanton und Stadt, 1999-2025 (T 01.02.04.01), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 482963fd4ff7…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.