Switzerland · Canton SG
Mels
7325–8889Residents
9'581
Area
139.1 km²
Population density
69 pop./km²
Elevation
1'579 m a.s.l.
Terrain up to
2'910 m a.s.l.
Tax multiplier
125%
Postal codes
6
Demographics
BFS · 2025Women
4'795 50.0%
Men
4'786 50.0%
Children & youth (0–19)
2'067 21.6%
Swiss citizens
7'657 79.9%
Foreign residents
1'924 20.1%
Population density
69 pop./km²
0–19 · 2'067 · 21.6%20–64 · 5'674 · 59.2%65+ · 1'840 · 19.2%
Foreign residents 20.1%0%64.0%
STATPOP 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026 · swisstopo, retrieved 24.08.2026
14.06.2026Änderung des Bundesgesetzes über den zivilen Ersatzdienst (Zivildienstgesetz, ZDG)Federal● Accepted · 52.5% Yes
62.7% YesNo 37.3%
14.06.2026Volksinitiative «Keine 10-Millionen-Schweiz! (Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative)»Federal● Rejected · 45.2% Yes
65.8% YesNo 34.2%
14.06.2026Gesetz über Beiträge für familien- und schulergänzende KinderbetreuungCantonal SG● Accepted · 57.8% Yes
45.7% YesNo 54.3%
08.03.2026Volksinitiative «Für eine gerechte Energie- und Klimapolitik: Investieren für Wohlstand, Arbeit und Umwelt (Klimafonds-Initiative)»Federal● Rejected · 29.3% Yes
17.1% YesNo 82.9%
08.03.2026Volksinitiative «200 Franken sind genug! (SRG-Initiative)»Federal● Rejected · 38.1% Yes
46.4% YesNo 53.6%
08.03.2026Bargeldinitiative und Gegenvorschlag: StichfrageFederal● Rejected · 37.4% Yes
45.8% YesNo 54.3%
08.03.2026Bundesbeschluss über die schweizerische Währung und die Bargeldversorgung (Gegenvorschlag zur Bargeldinitiative)Federal● Accepted · 73.4% Yes
71.6% YesNo 28.4%
08.03.2026Volksinitiative «Ja zu einer unabhängigen, freien Schweizer Währung mit Münzen oder Banknoten (Bargeld ist Freiheit)»Federal● Rejected · 45.6% Yes
51.8% YesNo 48.2%
08.03.2026Kantonsratsbeschluss über den Bau der «Kantonsstrasse zum See» mit Kostenbeteiligung am «Anschluss Witen mit Zubringer»Cantonal SG● Accepted · 54.0% Yes
51.3% YesNo 48.7%
Popular votes (sd-t-17-02) 2026 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026
Politics
National Council election 2023SVP39.2% · strongest party
SVP39.2%
Mitte29.5%
FDP12.2%
SP6.4%
GRÜNE5.0%
sd-t-17.02-NRW2023 2023 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 31.08.2026
Taxes 2026
ESTVMunicipal tax multiplier125%
Cantonal tax multiplier105%
125%SG range 61%155%
Tax rank 61 of 75 in canton St. GallenTax burden
Single, 100'000 CHF gross income
14'421 CHF(14.4%)
Rank 60 of 75 in the canton · 915 of 2110 in Switzerland
Median canton 13'868 CHF · median Switzerland 15'290 CHF
Cheapest Balgach 10'881 CHF · most expensive Lütisburg 16'080 CHF
100'000 CHF:14'421 CHF(~14.4%)
MelsCanton range St. GallenSwitzerland median
Show data table
| Gross income | Mels | St. Gallen | Switzerland median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40'000 | 6.5% | 4.8–7.3% | 5.4% |
| 50'000 | 8.3% | 6.1–9.3% | 7.8% |
| 60'000 | 9.9% | 7.4–11.2% | 10.5% |
| 70'000 | 11.2% | 8.3–12.5% | 11.9% |
| 80'000 | 12.3% | 9.2–13.8% | 13.1% |
| 90'000 | 13.3% | 10–14.9% | 14.1% |
| 100'000 | 14.4% | 10.9–16.1% | 15.3% |
| 110'000 | 15.4% | 11.7–17.1% | 16.3% |
| 120'000 | 16.2% | 12.3–18% | 17.2% |
| 130'000 | 16.9% | 12.9–18.7% | 18.1% |
| 140'000 | 17.6% | 13.6–19.5% | 19% |
| 150'000 | 18.2% | 14.1–20.2% | 19.7% |
| 175'000 | 19.7% | 15.4–21.8% | 21.6% |
| 200'000 | 21% | 16.5–23.1% | 23.2% |
| 225'000 | 22.1% | 17.5–24.2% | 24.6% |
| 250'000 | 23% | 18.4–25.2% | 25.8% |
| 275'000 | 23.8% | 19.1–26.1% | 26.8% |
| 300'000 | 24.5% | 19.7–26.7% | 27.4% |
2026 · Federal Tax Administration (FTA), retrieved 31.08.2026
Climate
MeteoSwiss 1 km grid · 1991–2020Annual mean temperature 1991–20209.9 °C
Territorial mean (incl. peaks)4.5 °C
Precipitation 1991–20201'311 mm
9.9 °CCH range -5.5°14°
1991–2020 · MeteoSwiss, retrieved 28.08.2026
Terrain
swisstopo · DHM 40 mHighest point
2'910 m
Mean elevation
1'617 m
Relief
2'454 m
Mean slope
26.9°
Flat share
7.2%
South-facing
18.0%
Above 2000 m
30.2%
Relief 2'454 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
67.7 GWh/yr
Roofs + façades
93.3 GWh/yr
≈ households powered
15'000
68 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 · 2026Tariff H4
26.9 Rp./kWh
Energy
11.1 Rp./kWh
Grid usage
12.16 Rp./kWh
Levies + grid surcharge
2.3 Rp./kWh
26.9 Rp./kWh9.6443.61
Canton median 29.8 Rp./kWhSwiss median 27.7 Rp./kWh
Network operator Politische Gemeinde Mels, Elektrizitäts- & Wasserwerk
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
Housing
BFSVacancy rate
0.13 %
Avg. rooms
4
Dwellings
4'738
Built before 194621.9%
Built since 200127.5%
0.13 %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 · NPVMNational Passenger Transport Model (NPVM) 2025 · Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), retrieved 28.08.2026
Municipality
Wikidata · CC0Websitemels.ch ↗
Wikidata · continuously updated, retrieved 31.08.2026
Rankings
31Largest municipalities9'581 #15 SG · #196 CHFamilies & children21.6% #27 SG · #637 CHAge structure19.2% #44 SG · #1396 CHWomen share50% #22 SG · #942 CHForeign residents20.1% #42 SG · #857 CHPopulation density69/km² #69 SG · #1653 CHTax burden14'421 #61 SG · #916 CHTaxes125% #61 SGWarmest municipalities9.9 °C #26 SG · #610 CHSunniest municipalities48.4% #4 SG · #294 CHRainiest municipalities1'311 mm #31 SG · #475 CHVoter turnout51.9% #57 SG · #1482 CHAgainst Switzerland25% #24 SG · #255 CHAligned with Switzerland75% #53 SG · #1202 CHSVP strongholds39.2% #34 SG · #706 CHSP strongholds6.4% #63 SG · #1837 CHCentre strongholds29.5% #3 SG · #240 CHFDP strongholds12.2% #52 SG · #1132 CHGLP strongholds3.8% #60 SG · #1443 CHGreen strongholds5% #60 SG · #1540 CHLargest by area139.1 km² #1 SG · #37 CHHighest municipalities1'579 m #1 SG · #73 CHRemotest municipalities93 min #46 SG · #497 CHBest-connected municipalities93 min #30 SG · #1608 CHHighest peaks2'910 m #2 SG · #164 CHHighest-lying municipalities1'617 m #2 SG · #178 CHGreatest vertical range2'454 m #2 SG · #92 CHSteepest municipalities26.9° #2 SG · #195 CHSolar potential68 GWh #16 SG · #188 CHCheapest electricity26.9 Rp./kWh #5 SG · #589 CHMost expensive electricity26.9 Rp./kWh #71 SG · #1518 CH
Postal codes (6)
swisstopoLocalities
swisstopo · 6Nearby municipalities
swisstopo- What is the postal code of Mels?
- Mels has 6 postal codes: 7325, 7326, 8886, 8887, 8888, 8889.
- What is the tax rate in Mels?
- The municipal tax multiplier of Mels is 125% (2026); canton SG levies 105%.
- How much tax do you pay in Mels?
- A single person without children pays about 14'421 CHF income tax in Mels on 100'000 CHF gross income (federal, cantonal, municipal), rank 60 of 75 in canton SG. Source: ESTV (2026).
- How many residents does Mels have?
- Mels has 9'581 residents (2025).
- How many foreign residents live in Mels?
- Mels has 1'924 foreign residents, a share of 20.08% (2025).
Map
OpenStreetMapMels compared with
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