Berne: Population on the rise
The population of the city of Bern is growing steadily. On June 30, 2016, the city had 141,049 residents, 482 more than at the beginning of the year. On the one hand, more people are moving to the city from outside, and on the other, the number of births is increasing, according to Statistik Stadt Bern.
On June 30, 2016, the statistics counted 106,520 Swiss and 34,529 foreign nationals. These now make up 24.5 percent of Bern's total population, 0.1 percentage points less than at the end of 2015.
The migration balance in the first half of the year was positive: 5,803 newcomers were offset by 5,505 emigrants. In both categories, the proportion of foreign nationals is just under 40 percent.
Relocations mainly to the surrounding area
According to data from Statistik Stadt Bern, the majority of in-migrants (30%) come from a Swiss municipality outside the canton of Bern. In contrast, most out-migrants (37.7%) choose a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland Regional Conference (RKBM) as their destination. Accordingly, the migration balance in RKBM municipalities is to the disadvantage of the city (-558).
Most of the newcomers are young people: The 20-29 age group saw the largest influx (+805), followed by the 16-19 age group (+114). In the other age groups, net migration is negative; it is particularly high among 30-64 year olds (-410 people). According to Statistik Stadt Bern, Bern thus appears to be a strong attraction for young people who move here for professional reasons or for education.
The resident population includes all persons registered in Bern, including diplomatic staff, international officials, their family members (all with a legitimation card from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA) and asylum seekers. The population movements do not include persons with a FDFA identity card, as the corresponding data for this group of persons is not available. (ah)
