Ranking · Data 2025 · Source: BFS
The fastest-shrinking municipalities in canton St. Gallen
National ranking →Eggersriet is shrinking fastest in canton St. Gallen: its population fell -2.6 % in 2025. Next come Mosnang (-1.5 %) and Andwil (-1.3 %). The basis is the year’s population change. Source: FSO (BEVNAT).
Ranking
BFS · 2025| Rank | Municipality | Population change | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eggersriet | -2.6% | 2'370 |
| 2 | Mosnang | -1.5% | 2'936 |
| 3 | Andwil | -1.3% | 2'117 |
| 4 | Berg | -1.2% | 1'021 |
| 5 | Muolen | -1.1% | 1'251 |
| 6 | Marbach | -1% | 2'147 |
| 7 | Tübach | -0.9% | 1'587 |
| 8 | Zuzwil | -0.8% | 4'994 |
| 9 | Bad Ragaz | -0.5% | 6'836 |
| 10 | Jonschwil | -0.3% | 3'979 |
| 11 | Amden | -0.3% | 1'896 |
| 12 | Eichberg | -0.2% | 1'614 |
| 13 | Degersheim | -0.2% | 4'209 |
| 14 | Weesen | -0.2% | 1'895 |
| 15 | Sevelen | -0.1% | 5'405 |
| 16 | Diepoldsau | -0.1% | 6'933 |
| 17 | Steinach | -0.1% | 3'579 |
| 18 | Untereggen | 0% | 1'035 |
| 19 | Mels | 0% | 9'581 |
| 20 | Lütisburg | 0.1% | 1'647 |
| 21 | Rebstein | 0.1% | 5'084 |
| 22 | Waldkirch | 0.1% | 3'581 |
| 23 | Wittenbach | 0.2% | 10'157 |
| 24 | St. Margrethen | 0.2% | 6'731 |
| 25 | Rapperswil-Jona | 0.2% | 28'836 |
| 26 | Gams | 0.2% | 3'736 |
| 27 | Rorschacherberg | 0.3% | 7'741 |
| 28 | Balgach | 0.4% | 5'229 |
| 29 | Flawil | 0.4% | 10'672 |
| 30 | Wartau | 0.4% | 5'617 |
| 31 | Neckertal | 0.4% | 6'446 |
| 32 | Häggenschwil | 0.4% | 1'432 |
| 33 | Quarten | 0.4% | 3'118 |
| 34 | Schmerikon | 0.4% | 4'168 |
| 35 | Berneck | 0.5% | 4'026 |
| 36 | Oberriet | 0.5% | 9'417 |
| 37 | Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann | 0.5% | 2'614 |
| 38 | Ebnat-Kappel | 0.6% | 5'353 |
| 39 | Kaltbrunn | 0.6% | 5'128 |
| 40 | Niederhelfenschwil | 0.6% | 3'309 |
| 41 | Grabs | 0.6% | 7'535 |
| 42 | Widnau | 0.7% | 10'485 |
| 43 | Uzwil | 0.7% | 14'676 |
| 44 | Lichtensteig | 0.8% | 2'157 |
| 45 | Oberbüren | 0.8% | 4'762 |
| 46 | St. Gallen | 0.8% | 79'487 |
| 47 | Sargans | 0.8% | 6'670 |
| 48 | Mörschwil | 0.8% | 3'702 |
| 49 | Kirchberg | 0.9% | 9'879 |
| 50 | Goldach | 0.9% | 9'872 |
| 51 | Vilters-Wangs | 0.9% | 5'168 |
| 52 | Bütschwil-Ganterschwil | 0.9% | 5'385 |
| 53 | Schänis | 1% | 4'213 |
| 54 | Wattwil | 1.1% | 9'262 |
| 55 | Wil | 1.1% | 25'444 |
| 56 | Flums | 1.1% | 5'458 |
| 57 | Uznach | 1.1% | 7'114 |
| 58 | Rorschach | 1.1% | 10'389 |
| 59 | Thal | 1.1% | 7'217 |
| 60 | Nesslau | 1.2% | 3'937 |
| 61 | Rüthi | 1.3% | 2'667 |
| 62 | Gaiserwald | 1.3% | 8'828 |
| 63 | Eschenbach | 1.3% | 10'401 |
| 64 | Pfäfers | 1.4% | 1'647 |
| 65 | Rheineck | 1.5% | 3'566 |
| 66 | Benken | 1.5% | 3'119 |
| 67 | Sennwald | 1.5% | 6'428 |
| 68 | Altstätten | 1.7% | 12'788 |
| 69 | Au | 1.7% | 8'771 |
| 70 | Gossau | 1.7% | 18'943 |
| 71 | Buchs | 1.8% | 14'287 |
| 72 | Oberuzwil | 1.8% | 6'864 |
| 73 | Gommiswald | 2.1% | 5'838 |
| 74 | Walenstadt | 2.7% | 6'083 |
| 75 | Niederbüren | 2.8% | 1'571 |
BEVNAT (Statistik der natürlichen Bevölkerungsbewegung) 2025 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO), retrieved 11.09.2026
How we measure this
BFSChange in the permanent resident population during calendar year 2025, in percent of the population on 1 January, from the FSO statistics on natural population movement (BEVNAT) and migration. This ranking shows the same measure from the other end: the steepest declines first. A negative value means shrinkage.
Frequently asked questions
- Which municipality in canton St. Gallen is shrinking fastest?
- Eggersriet: -2.6 % population in 2025 — the steepest decline of any municipality in canton St. Gallen. Source: FSO (BEVNAT).
- Why do some municipalities shrink?
- The year’s population change comes from births, deaths and in/out-migration (FSO BEVNAT). When deaths and departures outweigh births and arrivals, the population falls. The percentage makes small and large municipalities comparable.