About St. Gallen
St. Gallen is a Swiss city and the capital of the canton of St. Gallen. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. Its economy consists mainly of the service sector. The city is home to the University of St. Gallen, one of the best business schools in Europe.
- Canton
- St. Gallen
- Area
- 39.4 km²
Population
78'863residents
Median taxable income
CHF 59'893
Vacancy
2.30%
Foreign residents
34.2%
Dwellings
45'522
Jobs (FTE)
83'411
Tax multiplier
138%
Land use across the commune
Every 100 × 100 m of St. Gallen, 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
83'411 full-time-equivalent jobs across 7'166 businesses — services make up 86% of employment, industry 14% (2018).
Source BFS STATENT
83'411FTE total
Primary0.2%
Secondary14.2%
Tertiary85.6%
Land use
42% built-up, 28% agricultural, 28% forest. Measured across 3'931 hectares (2018).
Source BFS Arealstatistik
Settlement43.0%
Agriculture28.2%
Forest28.8%
Water0.0%
Election Results
SP led the 2023 National Council election with 25.6%, ahead of SVP at 18.4%.
Source BFS
SP25.6%+1.3 pp
SVP18.4%+1.8 pp
Grüne15.5%−2.0 pp
FDP14.3%−0.1 pp
Mitte12.7%
GLP9.3%−1.7 pp
EVP1.7%±0 pp
Others
0.7%
2023 vs 2019
Primary / second-home mix
85.3% of dwellings are primary residences; 14.7% are second homes (2026).
Source BFS
Primary residences85.3%
Second homes14.7%
Climate data
Annual mean 8.7°C with 1'433 mm of rain. Warmest in July (17.5°C), coldest in January (0.2°C). Station: St. Gallen, 776 m.
Source MeteoSchweiz
8.7°C
Annual mean
Mean 8.7°C
Rain 1433 mm
Sun ≈135 days
St. Gallen · 776 m.a.s.l. · 1991–2020 normals
Warming trend
Mean annual temperature at St. Gallen has risen by +2.5°C between the first 30 observed years (1864–1893) and the most recent (1996–2025).
Source MeteoSchweiz NBCN
+2.5°C
mean 1996–2025 vs. 1864–1893
St. Gallen · 776 m.a.s.l. · 1864–2025
