About Fribourg
Fribourg or Freiburg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and district of La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, administrative and educational centre on the cultural border between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. Its Old City, one of the best-maintained in Switzerland, sits on a small rocky hill above the valley of the Sarine. In 2018, it had a population of 38,365.
- Canton
- Fribourg
- Area
- 9.3 km²
Population
39'151residents
Median taxable income
CHF 60'193
Vacancy
0.61%
Foreign residents
39.2%
Dwellings
22'787
Jobs (FTE)
33'399
Tax multiplier
80%
Land use across the commune
Every 100 × 100 m of Fribourg, 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
33'399 full-time-equivalent jobs across 3'560 businesses — services make up 93% of employment, industry 7% (2018).
Source BFS STATENT
33'399FTE total
Primary0.1%
Secondary6.8%
Tertiary93.1%
Land use
64% built-up, 12% agricultural, 17% forest. Measured across 933 hectares (2025).
Source BFS Arealstatistik
Settlement68.4%
Agriculture13.2%
Forest18.4%
Water0.0%
Election Results
SP led the 2023 National Council election with 30.0%, ahead of Grüne at 23.7%.
Source BFS
SP30.0%+0.6 pp
Grüne23.7%+2.8 pp
Mitte16.3%
SVP13.3%+3.7 pp
FDP7.4%−1.7 pp
GLP3.8%−1.7 pp
CSP
3.4%−2.2 pp
Others
1.2%
2023 vs 2019
Primary / second-home mix
90.8% of dwellings are primary residences; 9.2% are second homes (2026).
Source BFS
Primary residences90.8%
Second homes9.2%
Climate data
Annual mean 9.1°C with 962 mm of rain. Warmest in July (18.5°C), coldest in January (0.4°C). Station: Fribourg / Grangeneuve, 651 m.
Source MeteoSchweiz
9.1°C
Annual mean
Mean 9.1°C
Rain 962 mm
Fribourg / Grangeneuve · 651 m.a.s.l. · 1991–2020 normals
Warming trend
Mean annual temperature at Payerne has risen by +1.8°C between the first 30 observed years (1965–1984) and the most recent (2006–2025).
Source MeteoSchweiz NBCN
+1.8°C
mean 2006–2025 vs. 1965–1984
Payerne · 490 m.a.s.l. · 1965–2025
