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Switzerland · Canton BE

Biel/Bienne

2502–2532
BE CANTON2502250325042505+1 PLZ
Residents
57'462
Area
21.2 km²
Population density
2'709 pop./km²
Elevation
441 m a.s.l.
Terrain up to
988 m a.s.l.
Tax multiplier
163%
Postal codes
5

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

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%
STATPOP 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026 · swisstopo, retrieved 24.08.2026

Neighbourhoods

BFS · 2024
STATPOP 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026
Popular votes (sd-t-17-02) 2026 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026

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 31.08.2026
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
0%9%18%26%35%40k50k100k150k200k250k300k
100'000 CHF:16'658 CHF(~16.7%)
Biel/BienneCanton range BernSwitzerland median
Show data table
Gross incomeBiel/BienneBernSwitzerland median
40'0009.8%8.310.9%5.4%
50'00011.6%9.813%7.8%
60'00013%1114.5%10.5%
70'00014.1%1215.7%11.9%
80'00014.9%12.616.5%13.1%
90'00015.7%13.417.5%14.1%
100'00016.7%14.318.5%15.3%
110'00017.5%1519.4%16.3%
120'00018.4%15.820.3%17.2%
130'00019.2%16.521.2%18.1%
140'00019.9%17.222%19%
150'00020.7%17.922.8%19.7%
175'00022.4%19.524.7%21.6%
200'00024%20.926.3%23.2%
225'00025.4%22.227.8%24.6%
250'00026.6%23.329.1%25.8%
275'00027.6%24.330.2%26.8%
300'00028.5%25.131.2%27.4%
2026 · Federal Tax Administration (FTA), retrieved 31.08.2026

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
Roof potential
254.3 GWh/yr
Roofs + façades
330.2 GWh/yr
≈ households powered
56'500
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 31.08.2026

Electricity

ElCom · 2026
Tariff H4
29.54 Rp./kWh
Energy
12.15 Rp./kWh
Grid usage
11.25 Rp./kWh
Levies + grid surcharge
4.2 Rp./kWh
29.54 Rp./kWh9.6443.61
Canton median 29.35 Rp./kWhSwiss median 27.7 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.

2026 · Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), retrieved 28.08.2026
Vacancy rate
1.37 %
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 31.08.2026 · Vacant dwellings survey 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026

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 28.08.2026

Municipality

Wikidata · CC0
Head of governmentGlenda Gonzalez Bassi
Wikidata · continuously updated, retrieved 31.08.2026

Localities

swisstopo · 2
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