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Municipality · Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Herisau

Get to know Herisau

Herisau is a municipality and the capital of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.

Read the full introduction

It is the seat of the canton's government and parliament; the judicial authorities are situated in Trogen.

Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Landscape

A landscape shaped by farmland

The land-use survey ending in 2018 shows how the area is shared between buildings, woodland, farmland and water.

54%

Agriculture

  • Agriculture54%
  • Forest27%
  • Settlement18%
  • Water<1%
  • Other<1%
Survey period ending 2018 · BFS

Housing

Finding a home here

A view of the rental market, drawn from 66 apartment and house listings. These are advertised rents, before any individual negotiation.

Homes to rentHomes to buy
Net asking rent

CHF 17.9

/ m² per month

Middle half of advertised rents

14.919.2

1 Nov 2026

More about Housing
Vacancy
1.12%As of 1 June 2026

2026

1.12%

2.61.30
20222026
Vacancy
20152.10%
20162.08%
20172.32%
20182.47%
20192.45%
20201.74%
20212.13%
20222.62%
20231.32%
20241.19%
20251.01%
20261.12%
Net asking rentCHF 17.9/ m² per month1 Nov 2026
Gross asking rentCHF 19.8/ m² per month1 Nov 2026
Asking priceCHF 6'326/ m²1 Nov 2026
Dwellings8'818Counted on 31 Dec 2025 · in 3'218 residential buildings
Newly built dwellings14During 2024
Primary residences84%Dwelling inventory 2026
Broadband coverage99%FibreAs of 2026 · Broadband coverage is one part of everyday infrastructure. This is coverage across the reported area; availability at a particular home still depends on its address.

People

The people who live here

The population grew by 5.7% between 2010 and 2025. The annual record shows how that change unfolded.

End of 2025

2025

16'100

16.1K8.1K0
20212025
Population
201015'236
201115'174
201215'222
201315'342
201415'512
201515'721
201615'730
201715'780
201815'745
201915'763
202015'649
202115'679
202215'744
202315'893
202415'943
202516'100
More about People
Population
16'100End of 2025

2025

16'100

16.1K8.1K0
20212025
Population
201015'236
201115'174
201215'222
201315'342
201415'512
201515'721
201615'730
201715'780
201815'745
201915'763
202015'649
202115'679
202215'744
202315'893
202415'943
202516'100
Foreign residents
26.1%End of 2025

2025

26.1%

26.1130
20212025
Foreign residents
201018.9%
201119.2%
201219.6%
201320.1%
201420.6%
201521.1%
201621.6%
201721.8%
201822.1%
201922.5%
202023.1%
202123.5%
202224.0%
202325.0%
202425.6%
202526.1%
Jobs (FTE)
7'951

As of 2024 · The reported area accounts for 7'951 full-time-equivalent jobs. This describes employment located here, rather than the number of residents who work.

2024

7'951

8K4K0
20202024
Jobs (FTE)
20117'120
20127'182
20137'345
20147'478
20157'503
20167'597
20177'707
20187'826
20197'860
20207'856
20217'810
20227'876
20237'975
20247'951

Taxes & income

A picture of local costs

Single person without children, gross wage CHF 100'000 · Canton, municipality and personal tax, without church, federal and wealth tax · tax year 2026

CHF 12'672

/ year

More about Taxes & income
Income taxCHF 12'672/ yearTax year 2026

Single person without children, gross wage CHF 100'000 · Canton, municipality and personal tax, without church, federal and wealth tax · tax year 2026

Tax multiplier
410%Tax year 2026

2026

410%

4102050
20222026
Tax multiplier
2010430%
2011430%
2012410%
2013410%
2014410%
2015410%
2016410%
2017410%
2018410%
2019410%
2020410%
2021410%
2022410%
2023410%
2024410%
2025410%
2026410%
Median taxable income
CHF 47'200All taxpayers · tax period 2022

2022

CHF 47'200

47.2K23.6K0
20182022
Median taxable income
2010CHF 42'100
2011CHF 42'400
2012CHF 42'700
2013CHF 43'300
2014CHF 43'200
2015CHF 43'300
2016CHF 44'000
2017CHF 44'700
2018CHF 44'700
2019CHF 45'600
2020CHF 45'800
2021CHF 46'100
2022CHF 47'200
Median net income
CHF 52'000As of 2022

2022

CHF 52'000

52K26K0
20182022
Median net income
2010CHF 47'300
2011CHF 47'800
2012CHF 48'100
2013CHF 48'100
2014CHF 48'000
2015CHF 48'200
2016CHF 48'800
2017CHF 49'500
2018CHF 49'800
2019CHF 50'700
2020CHF 50'500
2021CHF 51'000
2022CHF 52'000
Paying direct federal tax75%As of 2022
Cantonal tax multiplier
330%Tax year 2026

2026

330%

3301650
20222026
Cantonal tax multiplier
2010300%
2011300%
2012300%
2013300%
2014320%
2015320%
2016320%
2017320%
2018330%
2019330%
2020330%
2021330%
2022330%
2023330%
2024330%
2025330%
2026330%

Federal data — BFS (STATPOP, STATENT, land use), ESTV, BAKOM, ARE. Asking rents and prices: Homematch, from listings on Swiss portals.

The municipality
Settlement type
Urban
Municipality type
Urban municipality of a medium-sized agglomertation
Language region
German
Agglomeration
St. Gallen
Labour market region
St. Gallen
Statistical city
Yes
Mountain region
No

Federal Statistical Office · 2020