Building age in the canton of Obwalden

Canton of Obwalden, 7 municipalities

Building register (GWR) export of September 2026, parcel data of July 2025.

Key figures

Parcels with a building: 11’690; 11’079 of them with a known construction year

Median construction year: 1979Switzerland: 1976

Median building age: 47 yearsSwitzerland: 50 years

Built 1960 or earlier: 29.8%Switzerland: 32.5%

Built after 2000: 24.6%Switzerland: 23.3%

About the building stock in the canton of Obwalden

The parcel data lists 11’690 parcels with a building in the canton of Obwalden. For 11’079 of them (94.8%) the federal building register (GWR) gives a construction year, taken from the newest building on the parcel. The median construction year is 1979, so the median parcel with a building is 47 years old. 29.8% of the parcels with a known year were built in 1960 or earlier and 24.6% after 2000. The largest period is 1981-2000 with 23.7%. For comparison, the median construction year is 1976 in Switzerland. 611 parcels with a building have no usable construction year and are left out of the shares.

Construction-year histogram

Parcels with a building by construction period, as a share of the 11’079 parcels with a known year. The periods are not equally long, so read the bars as shares of the stock, not as building activity per year.

16.6%before 1920: 16.6%, 1’836 parcels
6.1%1920-1945: 6.1%, 674 parcels
7.1%1946-1960: 7.1%, 788 parcels
21.9%1961-1980: 21.9%, 2’429 parcels
23.7%1981-2000: 23.7%, 2’630 parcels
11.8%2001-2010: 11.8%, 1’308 parcels
9.4%2011-2020: 9.4%, 1’039 parcels
3.4%2021 and later: 3.4%, 375 parcels

Building age distribution

The same parcels grouped by the age of their newest building in 2026.

66 years or older (built 1960 or earlier)29.8%3’298 parcels
46 to 65 years (built 1961-1980)21.9%2’429 parcels
26 to 45 years (built 1981-2000)23.7%2’630 parcels
Up to 25 years (built 2001 or later)24.6%2’722 parcels

How to read these figures

The parcel data links every parcel to the federal building register (GWR). A parcel counts once, with the construction year of its newest building. Where the register gives only a construction period, the middle of the period is used.

The figures count parcels with a building, not individual buildings. A parcel with several buildings counts once, and a parcel without a building is not counted.

Building age is 2026 minus the construction year. Every share divides by the parcels with a known construction year.

Municipalities in the canton of Obwalden

Municipality	Parcels with a year	Median year	1960 or earlier	After 2000
Sarnen	2’660	1982	27.9%	25.3%
Kerns	1’763	1986	22.2%	28.2%
Engelberg	1’558	1973	26.2%	18.2%
Giswil	1’409	1979	33.3%	23.9%
Sachseln	1’319	1980	30.9%	26.2%
Alpnach	1’283	1986	27.4%	30.4%
Lungern	1’087	1964	48.9%	18.0%

See it on the map

roots colors every parcel by construction year, from deep red for the oldest buildings to pale cream for the newest.

Open the roots map in the canton of Obwalden

Parcels and building zones Obwalden in geopool