What is the postal code of Biel/Bienne?

Biel/Bienne has 5 postal codes: 2502, 2503, 2504, 2505, 2532.

What is the tax rate in Biel/Bienne?

The municipal tax multiplier of Biel/Bienne is 163% (2026); canton BE levies 297.5%.

How much tax do you pay in Biel/Bienne?

A single person without children pays about 16'658 CHF income tax in Biel/Bienne on 100'000 CHF gross income (federal, cantonal, municipal), rank 94 of 334 in canton BE. Source: ESTV (2026).

How many residents does Biel/Bienne have?

Biel/Bienne has 57'462 residents (2025).

How many foreign residents live in Biel/Bienne?

Biel/Bienne has 20'244 foreign residents, a share of 35.23% (2025).

Switzerland · Canton BE · Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne

Biel/Bienne

2502–2532

BE CANTON2502 2503 2504 2505+1 PLZ

Relief © swisstopo · TINITALY · geoland.at · LGL · IGN · swissTLM3D · swissTLMRegio

Demographics

BFS · 2025

Women

28'955 50.4%

Men

28'507 49.6%

Children & youth (0–19)

11'074 19.3%

Swiss citizens

37'218 64.8%

Foreign residents

20'244 35.2%

Population density

2'709 pop./km²

0–19 · 11'074 · 19.3%20–64 · 35'722 · 62.2%65+ · 10'666 · 18.6%

Foreign residents 35.2%0%64.0%

Population change 2025: +566 (+1%) · 524 births · 538 deaths · net migration +553

STATPOP 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 19.09.2026 · swisstopo, retrieved 24.09.2026 · BEVNAT (Statistik der natürlichen Bevölkerungsbewegung) 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 24.09.2026

Neighbourhoods

BFS · 2024

Statistical city quarters from BFS City Statistics — available for 10 Swiss cities only, not nationwide.

Mâche / Mett

11'233residents

Median age: 41.9
Foreign: 38.9%
Area / person: 38 m²

Madretsch sud / Madretsch Süd

8'775residents

Median age: 42.4
Foreign: 29.5%
Area / person: 40 m²

Nouvelle ville sud / Neustadt Süd

7'886residents

Median age: 38.9
Foreign: 39.4%
Area / person: 44 m²

Boujean / Bözingen

7'147residents

Median age: 41.9
Foreign: 38.3%
Area / person: 42 m²

Nouvelle ville nord / Neustadt Nord

5'748residents

Median age: 39.8
Foreign: 32.5%
Area / person: 44 m²

Champagne

5'159residents

Median age: 39.8
Foreign: 35.1%
Area / person: 41 m²

Madretsch nord / Madretsch Nord

4'598residents

Median age: 38.6
Foreign: 48.1%
Area / person: 38 m²

Vignoble / Rebberg

3'724residents

Median age: 45.5
Foreign: 16.9%
Area / person: 49 m²

Vieille ville / Altstadt

1'249residents

Median age: 37.9
Foreign: 28.5%
Area / person: 45 m²

Vigneules / Vingelz

819residents

Median age: 55.7
Foreign: 9.2%
Area / person: 58 m²

STATPOP 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 24.09.2026

Vote results for Biel/Bienne

BFS

27.09.2026Popular Initiative 'For food security – through increased sustainable domestic production, more plant-based food and clean drinking water (Food Initiative)'Federal● Rejected · 27.5% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 35.0% Yes

43.7% YesNo 56.3%

27.09.2026Popular Initiative 'Safeguard Swiss neutrality (Neutrality Initiative)'Federal● Rejected · 29.8% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 24.0% Yes

21.2% YesNo 78.8%

27.09.2026Volksinitiative «Berner Bildungsinitiative»Cantonal BE● Rejected · 40.1% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 43.6% Yes

51.4% YesNo 48.6%

14.06.2026Amendment to the Civilian Service ActFederal● Accepted · 52.5% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 44.6% Yes

36.0% YesNo 64.0%

14.06.2026Popular initiative: 'No to Switzerland of 10 million! (Sustainability Initiative)'Federal● Rejected · 45.2% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 39.2% Yes

30.1% YesNo 69.9%

14.06.2026Projektierungskredit für das Kunstmuseum Bern (Sanierung und Ersatzneubau)Cantonal BE● Rejected · 48.2% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 52.4% Yes

59.9% YesNo 40.1%

08.03.2026Federal Act on Individual TaxationFederal● Accepted · 54.3% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 62.3% Yes

67.6% YesNo 32.4%

08.03.2026Popular Initiative ‘For a fair energy and climate policy: Investing for prosperity, jobs and the environment (Climate Fund Initiative)’Federal● Rejected · 29.3% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 37.1% Yes

48.1% YesNo 51.9%

08.03.2026Popular Initiative ‘200 francs is enough! (SBC Initiative)’Federal● Rejected · 38.1% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 33.9% Yes

29.9% YesNo 70.1%

08.03.2026Cash Initiative and Counter-Proposal: Deciding QuestionFederal● Rejected · 37.4% YesDistrict Verwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne: 36.5% Yes

37.7% YesNo 62.3%

All federal votes →

Popular votes (sd-t-17-02) 2026 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 04.10.2026

Politics

National Council election 2023

SP33.6% · strongest party

SP33.6%

GRÜNE19.5%

SVP16.3%

GLP9.1%

FDP8.1%

sd-t-17.02-NRW2023 2023 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 25.09.2026

Taxes 2026

ESTV

Municipal tax multiplier163%

Cantonal tax multiplier297.5%

163%BE range 89%220%

Tax rank 94 of 334 in canton Bern

Tax burden

Single, 100'000 CHF gross income

16'658 CHF(16.7%)

Rank 94 of 334 in the canton · 1678 of 2110 in Switzerland

Median canton 17'048 CHF · median Switzerland 15'290 CHF

Cheapest Deisswil bei Münchenbuchsee 14'255 CHF · most expensive Schelten 18'510 CHF

Income tax as % of gross income

100'000 CHF:16'658 CHF(~16.7%)

Biel/BienneCanton range BernSwitzerland median

Show data table

Gross income	Biel/Bienne	Bern	Switzerland median
40'000	9.8%	8.3–10.9%	5.4%
50'000	11.6%	9.8–13%	7.8%
60'000	13%	11–14.5%	10.5%
70'000	14.1%	12–15.7%	11.9%
80'000	14.9%	12.6–16.5%	13.1%
90'000	15.7%	13.4–17.5%	14.1%
100'000	16.7%	14.3–18.5%	15.3%
110'000	17.5%	15–19.4%	16.3%
120'000	18.4%	15.8–20.3%	17.2%
130'000	19.2%	16.5–21.2%	18.1%
140'000	19.9%	17.2–22%	19%
150'000	20.7%	17.9–22.8%	19.7%
175'000	22.4%	19.5–24.7%	21.6%
200'000	24%	20.9–26.3%	23.2%
225'000	25.4%	22.2–27.8%	24.6%
250'000	26.6%	23.3–29.1%	25.8%
275'000	27.6%	24.3–30.2%	26.8%
300'000	28.5%	25.1–31.2%	27.4%

2026 · Federal Tax Administration (FTA), retrieved 24.09.2026

Climate

MeteoSwiss 1 km grid · 1991–2020

Annual mean temperature 1991–202010.1 °C

Precipitation 1991–20201'195 mm

10.1 °CCH range -5.5°14°

1991–2020 · MeteoSwiss, retrieved 28.08.2026

Terrain

swisstopo · DHM 40 m

Highest point

988 m

Mean elevation

544 m

Relief

561 m

Mean slope

10.8°

Flat share

43.6%

South-facing

28.5%

Above 2000 m

0.0%

Relief 561 m0 m3'847 m

Terrain figures cover the whole municipal territory (swisstopo swissALTIRegio) — not the settlement point. Slope and south-facing share are resolution-dependent and measured at 40 m.

swissALTIRegio 2026 · swisstopo, retrieved 28.08.2026

Solar potential

BFE

Roof potential

254.3 GWh/yr

Roofs + façades

330.2 GWh/yr

≈ households powered

56'500

Per inhabitant

4'426 kWh/yr

254 GWh/yr01'133 GWh/yr

BFE solar factsheet ↗

Modelled roof and façade potential from the BFE solar model — the electricity these surfaces could produce, not installed capacity or what the municipality actually generates today. The household figure divides the roof potential by 4'500 kWh per year, ElCom’s reference household (consumption profile H4, a 5-room apartment).

Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), retrieved 24.09.2026

Electricity

ElCom · 2027

Tariff H4

30.96 Rp./kWh

Energy

12.65 Rp./kWh

Grid usage

12.17 Rp./kWh

Levies + grid surcharge

4.2 Rp./kWh

30.96 Rp./kWh10.5645.88

Canton median 27.95 Rp./kWhSwiss median 26.53 Rp./kWh

Network operator Energie Service Biel/Bienne (ESB)

ElCom tariff comparison ↗

How this is measured

Total household electricity price for ElCom consumption profile H4 — 4'500 kWh a year, a 5-room flat with electric stove and tumble dryer — standard product, excluding VAT, for the tariff year shown. Energy, grid usage, levies to public bodies and the federal grid surcharge are included. Canton and Swiss medians are ElCom's own published figures.

2027 · Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), retrieved 12.09.2026

Health-insurance premiums

BAG · 2024

Premium regionRegion 1

Standard model, deductible 300682 CHF/mo

Ø premium in canton Bern432 CHF/mo

Estimate Switzerland 2026465.3 CHF/mo

Compare health insurers in Biel/Bienne →Canton Bern →Premiums explained →

Premiums are set per canton and premium region. This area lies in premium region 1 of canton Bern. Shown is the average adult premium paid across the whole canton Bern (2024, BAG) — a region-specific average is not available in the cantonal data.

2024 · Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), retrieved 12.09.2026

Housing

BFS · ARE

Vacancy rate

1.37 %

Second homes

13.3 %

Avg. rooms

3.2

Dwellings

32'298

Built before 194631.7%

Built since 200113.6%

1.37 %0 %12 %

Vacancy rate from the BFS vacant-dwelling count (2025); building age and room count from the Buildings and Dwellings Statistics (2024). The average room count treats the ‘6 rooms or more’ class as 6, so it is a slight lower bound. The vacancy rate is volatile for small municipalities.

Buildings and Dwellings Statistics 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 24.09.2026 · Vacant dwellings survey 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 24.09.2026 · Dwelling inventory and second-home share 2026 · Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), retrieved 24.09.2026

Economy

BFS · 2024

Jobs

44'244

Workplaces

4'518

Services share

75.5 %

Jobs by sector: Primary 24 (0.1%) · Secondary 10'836 (24.5%) · Tertiary 33'384 (75.5%)

STATENT (Statistik der Unternehmensstruktur) 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 24.09.2026

Agriculture

BFS · 2025

Farms

Organic share

75 %

Farmland

82 ha

Landwirtschaftliche Strukturerhebung 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 19.09.2026

Accessibility

ARE · NPVM

Major centrePT 49 min · Car 43 min

AgglomerationPT 8 min · Car 6 min

Remoteness 252/334 in canton

National Passenger Transport Model (NPVM) 2025 · Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), retrieved 24.09.2026

Municipality

Wikidata · CC0

BFS municipality number371

Head of governmentGlenda Gonzalez Bassi

Websitebiel-bienne.ch ↗

DistrictVerwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne

Wikidata · continuously updated, retrieved 24.09.2026

Where Biel/Bienne ranks

Largest municipalities57'462 #2 BE · #10 CH Growing municipalities1% #109 BE · #798 CH Shrinking municipalities1% #225 BE · #1303 CH Jobs per resident0.77 #24 BE · #170 CH Families & children19.3% #193 BE · #1357 CH Age structure18.6% #317 BE · #1523 CH Women share50.4% #146 BE · #668 CH Foreign residents35.2% #2 BE · #152 CH Population density2'709/km² #4 BE · #37 CH Tax burden16'658 #94 BE · #1678 CH Taxes163% #94 BE Warmest municipalities10.1 °C #23 BE · #386 CH Sunniest municipalities40.3% #298 BE · #1669 CH Rainiest municipalities1'195 mm #140 BE · #701 CH Voter turnout43.7% #325 BE · #2070 CH Against Switzerland30.4% #16 BE · #53 CH Aligned with Switzerland69.6% #181 BE · #1389 CH SVP strongholds16.3% #325 BE · #1938 CH SP strongholds33.6% #2 BE · #22 CH Centre strongholds5.2% #258 BE · #1767 CH FDP strongholds8.1% #82 BE · #1583 CH GLP strongholds9.1% #118 BE · #416 CH Green strongholds19.5% #5 BE · #27 CH Largest by area21.2 km² #69 BE · #453 CH Highest municipalities441 m #313 BE · #1607 CH Second homes13.3% #132 BE · #732 CH Organic farming75% #2 BE · #40 CH Best-connected municipalities49 min #79 BE · #424 CH Remotest municipalities49 min #252 BE · #1662 CH Highest peaks988 m #137 BE · #740 CH Highest-lying municipalities544 m #232 BE · #1242 CH Greatest vertical range561 m #103 BE · #647 CH Steepest municipalities10.8° #141 BE · #860 CH Solar potential254 GWh #3 BE · #12 CH Solar potential per capita4'426 kWh #331 BE · #2028 CH Cheapest electricity30.96 Rp./kWh #295 BE · #1890 CH Most expensive electricity30.96 Rp./kWh #39 BE · #217 CH

Postal codes (5)

swisstopo

Localities

swisstopo · 2

Biel/Bienne2502 2503 2504 2505 Magglingen/Macolin2532

Nearby municipalities

swisstopo

Frequently asked questions

What is the postal code of Biel/Bienne?: Biel/Bienne has 5 postal codes: 2502, 2503, 2504, 2505, 2532.
What is the tax rate in Biel/Bienne?: The municipal tax multiplier of Biel/Bienne is 163% (2026); canton BE levies 297.5%.
How much tax do you pay in Biel/Bienne?: A single person without children pays about 16'658 CHF income tax in Biel/Bienne on 100'000 CHF gross income (federal, cantonal, municipal), rank 94 of 334 in canton BE. Source: ESTV (2026).
How many residents does Biel/Bienne have?: Biel/Bienne has 57'462 residents (2025).
How many foreign residents live in Biel/Bienne?: Biel/Bienne has 20'244 foreign residents, a share of 35.23% (2025).

Map

OpenStreetMap

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Biel/Bienne compared with