Canton of Solothurn: observed built density
Canton · 99 municipalities with parcel data · Parcel data as of July 2025
- Parcels
- 120’239
3 % of Switzerland
- Municipal zones
- 1’802
- Median utilization
- 29 %
Switzerland: 10 %
- Median GFZ
- 0.10
Switzerland: 0.09
- Median height
- 9.2 m
Switzerland: 9.5 m
- Median floors
- 2.2
Switzerland: 2.3
About Canton of Solothurn
The parcel data covers 99 municipalities of the canton of Solothurn: 120’239 parcels in 1’802 municipal zone records. The municipalities with the most parcels are Grenchen, Hochwald and Olten.
The median parcel is built to a volume utilization of 29 %; half of the parcels lie between 5 % and 100 %. The Swiss median is 10 %, so Solothurn sits above it.
The median building height is 9.2 m at 2.2 floors, and the median floor-area ratio (GFZ) is 0.10. Parcels built in the last 20 years reach a mean volume utilization of 123 % (10’932 parcels), higher than the 78 % across all building years.
Parcels by municipal zone
| Zone | Parcels | Median utilization |
|---|---|---|
| Landwirtschaftszone | 31’309 | - |
| Wald | 8’173 | - |
| Wohnzone 2-geschossig | 6’711 | - |
| Verkehrszone Strasse | 6’498 | - |
| Verkehrsfläche Strasse | 4’703 | - |
| Kernzone | 3’773 | - |
| Wohnzone, 2-geschossig | 3’407 | - |
| Wohnzone 2 | 2’186 | - |
| Wohnzone zweigeschossig | 1’596 | - |
| 2-geschossige Wohnzone | 1’561 | - |
| Wohnzone 2G | 1’444 | 93 % |
| Wohnzone W2 | 1’351 | - |
| Other zones (662) | 47’527 | - |
Zone labels are municipal spellings, so one zone type can appear under several names.
Volume utilization (ratioV)
Of the 118’401 parcels with a value, half lie between 5 % and 100 %. The median is 29 % and the mean 66 %.
Share of parcels by range
- below 50 %53 %
- 50 % to below 100 %22 %
- 100 % to below 150 %17 %
- 150 % and above8 %
Floor-area ratio (GFZ)
Of the 118’387 parcels with a value, half lie between 0.05 and 0.46. The median is 0.10 and the mean 0.28.
Share of parcels by range
- below 0.5079 %
- 0.50 to below 1.0016 %
- 1.00 to below 1.503 %
- 1.50 and above1 %
Building height
Of the 59’932 parcels with a value, half lie between 7.6 m and 11.0 m. The median is 9.2 m and the mean 9.5 m.
Share of parcels by range
- below 8 m30 %
- 8 m to below 12 m56 %
- 12 m to below 20 m14 %
- 20 m and above1 %
Number of floors
Of the 48’378 parcels with a value, half lie between 1.7 and 2.7. The median is 2.2 and the mean 2.3.
Share of parcels by range
- below 211 %
- 2 to below 360 %
- 3 to below 528 %
- 5 and above1 %
Building age cohorts
Mean volume utilization of the parcels built inside each window, from all years on record down to the last five. The windows overlap: the last 20 years include the last 5.
| Built in | Parcels | Mean utilization |
|---|---|---|
| All years | 120’239 | 78 % |
| Last 60 years | 39’709 | 133 % |
| Last 40 years | 27’798 | 131 % |
| Last 20 years | 10’932 | 123 % |
| Last 15 years | 7’497 | 130 % |
| Last 10 years | 4’161 | 118 % |
| Last 5 years | 1’677 | 120 % |
Municipalities of the canton of Solothurn
| Name | Parcels | Zones | Median utilization | Median height | Median floors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grenchen | 4’060 | 49 | 78 % | 10.3 m | 2.4 |
| Hochwald | 4’017 | 18 | 6 % | 8.6 m | 2.0 |
| Olten | 3’631 | 41 | 100 % | 12.1 m | 2.8 |
| Seewen | 3’348 | 20 | 6 % | 8.9 m | 2.0 |
| Nuglar-St. Pantaleon | 3’013 | 18 | 6 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Kleinlützel | 2’990 | 21 | 6 % | 9.3 m | 2.0 |
| Nunningen | 2’967 | 18 | 7 % | 9.5 m | 2.1 |
| Buchegg | 2’851 | 24 | 7 % | 9.6 m | 2.1 |
| Biberist | 2’781 | 42 | 83 % | 8.8 m | 2.1 |
| Dornach | 2’697 | 25 | 59 % | 9.6 m | 2.5 |
| Erlinsbach (SO) | 2’529 | 26 | 8 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Büren (SO) | 2’490 | 16 | 6 % | 9.6 m | 2.2 |
| Breitenbach | 2’466 | 22 | 8 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Hägendorf | 2’146 | 23 | 76 % | 8.9 m | 2.1 |
| Lostorf | 2’102 | 26 | 69 % | 8.4 m | 2.1 |
| Hofstetten-Flüh | 2’097 | 23 | 55 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Derendingen | 2’061 | 27 | 82 % | 9.0 m | 2.2 |
| Selzach | 2’061 | 35 | 41 % | 8.8 m | 2.2 |
| Oensingen | 1’894 | 32 | 62 % | 9.4 m | 2.2 |
| Bettlach | 1’828 | 18 | 73 % | 9.1 m | 2.2 |
| Dulliken | 1’795 | 21 | 68 % | 8.8 m | 2.2 |
| Mümliswil-Ramiswil | 1’787 | 14 | 35 % | 9.7 m | 2.1 |
| Wangen bei Olten | 1’762 | 26 | 76 % | 9.0 m | 2.2 |
| Trimbach | 1’761 | 26 | 86 % | 10.1 m | 2.3 |
| Bellach | 1’600 | 32 | 82 % | 8.4 m | 2.0 |
| Zuchwil | 1’585 | 31 | 89 % | 9.7 m | 2.4 |
| Kienberg | 1’545 | 11 | 6 % | 10.1 m | 2.2 |
| Schönenwerd | 1’418 | 21 | 88 % | 9.5 m | 2.3 |
| Niedergösgen | 1’407 | 19 | 85 % | 9.3 m | 2.2 |
| Däniken | 1’380 | 22 | 56 % | 8.9 m | 2.1 |
| Messen | 1’378 | 22 | 8 % | 9.5 m | 2.1 |
| Wolfwil | 1’356 | 14 | 69 % | 8.3 m | 2.0 |
| Gretzenbach | 1’346 | 21 | 79 % | 8.8 m | 2.1 |
| Deitingen | 1’323 | 22 | 73 % | 8.6 m | 2.1 |
| Himmelried | 1’310 | 16 | 7 % | 9.2 m | 2.1 |
| Subingen | 1’296 | 32 | 83 % | 8.4 m | 2.1 |
| Gempen | 1’286 | 14 | 7 % | 8.9 m | 2.1 |
| Stüsslingen | 1’285 | 16 | 8 % | 8.7 m | 2.0 |
| Kappel (SO) | 1’259 | 19 | 75 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Gerlafingen | 1’240 | 17 | 82 % | 9.0 m | 2.2 |
| Lohn-Ammannsegg | 1’236 | 20 | 74 % | 8.3 m | 2.1 |
| Riedholz | 1’222 | 21 | 60 % | 8.6 m | 2.0 |
| Laupersdorf | 1’221 | 16 | 29 % | 9.1 m | 2.0 |
| Egerkingen | 1’218 | 31 | 64 % | 9.6 m | 2.3 |
| Oberbuchsiten | 1’181 | 23 | 47 % | 9.2 m | 1.9 |
| Langendorf | 1’146 | 28 | 87 % | 9.1 m | 2.2 |
| Oberdorf (SO) | 1’146 | 20 | 57 % | 8.7 m | 2.1 |
| Meltingen | 1’100 | 16 | 6 % | 9.4 m | 2.1 |
| Lüsslingen-Nennigkofen | 1’044 | 17 | 8 % | 9.3 m | 2.0 |
| Recherswil | 1’034 | 15 | 65 % | 8.3 m | 2.0 |
| Fulenbach | 1’026 | 17 | 65 % | 8.5 m | 2.0 |
| Kestenholz | 1’024 | 18 | 67 % | 9.0 m | 2.0 |
| Neuendorf | 1’010 | 23 | 67 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Matzendorf | 964 | 14 | 35 % | 9.0 m | 2.0 |
| Metzerlen-Mariastein | 938 | 15 | 9 % | 9.1 m | 2.0 |
| Grindel | 904 | 12 | 7 % | 9.3 m | 2.0 |
| Welschenrohr-Gänsbrunnen | 894 | 19 | 49 % | 9.2 m | 2.0 |
| Günsberg | 839 | 14 | 51 % | 9.1 m | 2.0 |
| Winznau | 837 | 17 | 86 % | 9.0 m | 2.1 |
| Aeschi (SO) | 827 | 19 | 48 % | 8.7 m | 2.0 |
| Härkingen | 811 | 25 | 62 % | 8.9 m | 2.0 |
| Zullwil | 805 | 16 | 8 % | 9.2 m | 2.0 |
| Obergösgen | 799 | 18 | 71 % | 8.7 m | 2.1 |
| Walterswil (SO) | 768 | 14 | 8 % | 9.0 m | 2.0 |
| Schnottwil | 736 | 13 | 10 % | 9.8 m | 2.1 |
| Gunzgen | 722 | 18 | 74 % | 8.7 m | 2.1 |
| Lüterkofen-Ichertswil | 720 | 13 | 9 % | 8.6 m | 2.0 |
| Bättwil | 719 | 18 | 63 % | 9.6 m | 2.5 |
| Rüttenen | 669 | 19 | 77 % | 8.7 m | 2.1 |
| Niederbuchsiten | 632 | 17 | 61 % | 9.0 m | 2.0 |
| Starrkirch-Wil | 613 | 17 | 85 % | 9.1 m | 2.2 |
| Flumenthal | 604 | 18 | 10 % | 8.8 m | 2.1 |
| Drei Höfe | 592 | 11 | 10 % | 8.6 m | 2.0 |
| Kriegstetten | 558 | 29 | 79 % | 8.4 m | 2.1 |
| Holderbank (SO) | 550 | 16 | 10 % | 9.4 m | 2.2 |
| Aedermannsdorf | 535 | 13 | 9 % | 9.2 m | 2.0 |
| Rickenbach (SO) | 533 | 26 | 44 % | 9.2 m | 2.1 |
| Etziken | 525 | 14 | 66 % | 8.7 m | 2.1 |
| Horriwil | 492 | 16 | 78 % | 8.6 m | 2.1 |
| Fehren | 488 | 12 | 10 % | 9.0 m | 2.0 |
| Hauenstein-Ifenthal | 482 | 16 | 7 % | 9.9 m | 2.1 |
| Boningen | 464 | 13 | 9 % | 9.1 m | 2.1 |
| Wisen (SO) | 461 | 13 | 8 % | 9.2 m | 2.1 |
| Hubersdorf | 409 | 12 | 71 % | 8.5 m | 2.1 |
| Feldbrunnen-St. Niklaus | 363 | 14 | 56 % | 9.1 m | 2.4 |
| Bolken | 362 | 12 | 65 % | 8.6 m | 2.1 |
| Beinwil (SO) | 266 | 13 | 10 % | 10.8 m | 2.1 |
| Eppenberg-Wöschnau | 265 | 14 | 8 % | 9.2 m | 2.1 |
| Balm bei Günsberg | 175 | 10 | 10 % | 9.1 m | 2.0 |
| Hüniken | 116 | 12 | 8 % | 9.2 m | 2.0 |
| Kammersrohr | 34 | 4 | 7 % | 11.7 m | 1.9 |
| Solothurn | 3 | 2 | 5 % | - | - |
| Bärschwil | 2 | 2 | 10 % | 9.0 m | 3.0 |
| Obergerlafingen | 2 | 2 | 5 % | - | - |
| Biezwil | 1 | 1 | 5 % | - | - |
| Büsserach | 1 | 1 | 5 % | - | - |
| Lommiswil | 1 | 1 | 105 % | 13.0 m | - |
| Luterbach | 1 | 1 | 5 % | - | - |
| Witterswil | 1 | 1 | 5 % | - | - |
How to read this page
room shows observed built density: what has been built on the parcels, not what the zoning permits. Volume utilization (ratioV) compares the built volume of a parcel with the reference volume of its municipal zone type. The floor-area ratio (GFZ) is floor area divided by parcel area; building height and number of floors are taken from the buildings on a parcel. Figures pool all municipal zones of the area. Medians and quartiles are read from bins 10 points (ratioV), 0.1 (GFZ), 2 m (height) and 1 floor wide, so they are exact to within one bin; means are exact. A parcel counts in a distribution only when the parcel data has a value for it. The floors distribution leaves out parcels without a building (0 floors).