About Bern
Bern, or Berne, is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city". With a population of about 146,000, Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000.
- Canton
- Bern
- Area
- 51.6 km²
Population
137'995residents
Median taxable income
CHF 63'711
Vacancy
0.43%
Foreign residents
25.9%
Dwellings
81'628
Jobs (FTE)
188'252
Tax multiplier
154%
Land use across the commune
Every 100 × 100 m of Bern, coloured by how it's used. Drawn from the BFS Arealstatistik 2025 release — the most recent nationwide snapshot.
Source BFS Arealstatistik
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Jobs & economy
188'252 full-time-equivalent jobs across 14'615 businesses — services make up 92% of employment, industry 8% (2018).
Source BFS STATENT
188'252FTE total
Primary0.2%
Secondary8.1%
Tertiary91.7%
Land use
46% built-up, 18% agricultural, 33% forest. Measured across 5'162 hectares (2018).
Source BFS Arealstatistik
Settlement47.2%
Agriculture18.7%
Forest34.1%
Water0.0%
Election Results
SP led the 2023 National Council election with 37.7%, ahead of Grüne at 21.8%.
Source BFS
SP37.7%+8.9 pp
Grüne21.8%−3.5 pp
GLP13.8%+0.3 pp
SVP9.1%−0.4 pp
FDP6.3%−1.3 pp
Mitte6.0%
EVP2.2%−0.3 pp
Others
1.0%
2023 vs 2019
Primary / second-home mix
86.6% of dwellings are primary residences; 13.4% are second homes (2026).
Source BFS
Primary residences86.6%
Second homes13.4%
Climate data
Annual mean 9.3°C with 1'022 mm of rain. Warmest in July (18.8°C), coldest in January (0.2°C). Station: Bern / Zollikofen, 553 m.
Source MeteoSchweiz
9.3°C
Annual mean
Mean 9.3°C
Rain 1022 mm
Sun ≈150 days
Bern / Zollikofen · 553 m.a.s.l. · 1991–2020 normals
Warming trend
Mean annual temperature at Bern / Zollikofen has risen by +2.2°C between the first 30 observed years (1864–1893) and the most recent (1996–2025).
Source MeteoSchweiz NBCN
+2.2°C
mean 1996–2025 vs. 1864–1893
Bern / Zollikofen · 553 m.a.s.l. · 1864–2025
