Building age in the canton of St. Gallen
Canton of St. Gallen, 74 municipalities
Building register (GWR) export of September 2026, parcel data of July 2025.
Key figures
- Parcels with a building
- 126’101
- 122’664 of them with a known construction year
- Median construction year
- 1977Switzerland: 1976
- Median building age
- 49 yearsSwitzerland: 50 years
- Built 1960 or earlier
- 30.4%Switzerland: 32.5%
- Built after 2000
- 22.0%Switzerland: 23.3%
About the building stock in the canton of St. Gallen
The parcel data lists 126’101 parcels with a building in the canton of St. Gallen. For 122’664 of them (97.3%) the federal building register (GWR) gives a construction year, taken from the newest building on the parcel. The median construction year is 1977, so the median parcel with a building is 49 years old. 30.4% of the parcels with a known year were built in 1960 or earlier and 22.0% after 2000. The largest period is 1981-2000 with 25.5%. For comparison, the median construction year is 1976 in Switzerland. 3’437 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 122’664 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.
- 17.9%before 1920: 17.9%, 22’008 parcels
- 4.9%1920-1945: 4.9%, 5’994 parcels
- 7.6%1946-1960: 7.6%, 9’308 parcels
- 22.0%1961-1980: 22.0%, 27’019 parcels
- 25.5%1981-2000: 25.5%, 31’334 parcels
- 10.6%2001-2010: 10.6%, 12’962 parcels
- 8.4%2011-2020: 8.4%, 10’309 parcels
- 3.0%2021 and later: 3.0%, 3’730 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)30.4%37’310 parcels
- 46 to 65 years (built 1961-1980)22.0%27’019 parcels
- 26 to 45 years (built 1981-2000)25.5%31’334 parcels
- Up to 25 years (built 2001 or later)22.0%27’001 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 St. Gallen
| Municipality | Parcels with a year | Median year | 1960 or earlier | After 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Gallen | 9’359 | 1962 | 48.3% | 12.6% |
| Wil (SG) | 3’832 | 1974 | 32.4% | 18.7% |
| Rapperswil-Jona | 3’817 | 1981 | 25.2% | 20.9% |
| Altstätten | 3’801 | 1975 | 35.6% | 21.5% |
| Oberriet (SG) | 3’060 | 1988 | 20.2% | 29.9% |
| Mels | 2’907 | 1975 | 32.4% | 21.9% |
| Eschenbach (SG) | 2’898 | 1988 | 23.7% | 26.9% |
| Gossau (SG) | 2’838 | 1980 | 29.1% | 19.9% |
| Uzwil | 2’825 | 1983 | 26.5% | 22.9% |
| Grabs | 2’730 | 1975 | 37.3% | 19.7% |
| Widnau | 2’442 | 1988 | 16.5% | 28.6% |
| Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann | 2’431 | 1965 | 40.7% | 12.6% |
| Buchs (SG) | 2’415 | 1975 | 32.0% | 19.7% |
| Kirchberg (SG) | 2’371 | 1983 | 32.3% | 24.4% |
| Flums | 2’368 | 1975 | 34.8% | 18.8% |
| Wattwil | 2’353 | 1969 | 42.1% | 15.0% |
| Nesslau | 2’302 | 1965 | 48.0% | 13.7% |
| Flawil | 2’232 | 1974 | 33.9% | 19.1% |
| Ebnat-Kappel | 2’087 | 1965 | 42.8% | 13.7% |
| Sennwald | 1’949 | 1983 | 30.4% | 24.5% |
| Thal | 1’925 | 1983 | 28.7% | 24.2% |
| Wartau | 1’902 | 1979 | 31.6% | 20.8% |
| Gommiswald | 1’874 | 1985 | 18.5% | 23.3% |
| Gaiserwald | 1’810 | 1983 | 12.9% | 23.6% |
| Walenstadt | 1’799 | 1978 | 31.2% | 22.8% |
| Diepoldsau | 1’749 | 1989 | 14.8% | 31.8% |
| Vilters-Wangs | 1’740 | 1981 | 27.6% | 22.7% |
| Goldach | 1’675 | 1975 | 29.4% | 21.0% |
| Au (SG) | 1’631 | 1982 | 19.6% | 23.9% |
| Quarten | 1’619 | 1965 | 40.0% | 13.5% |
| Sevelen | 1’604 | 1975 | 30.3% | 20.8% |
| Bad Ragaz | 1’560 | 1984 | 22.8% | 27.4% |
| Oberuzwil | 1’543 | 1976 | 28.0% | 20.5% |
| Bütschwil-Ganterschwil | 1’530 | 1979 | 32.7% | 25.6% |
| Wittenbach | 1’480 | 1975 | 16.8% | 23.0% |
| St. Margrethen | 1’357 | 1975 | 32.8% | 20.9% |
| Gams | 1’352 | 1983 | 31.1% | 27.8% |
| Balgach | 1’350 | 1980 | 31.0% | 26.4% |
| Rebstein | 1’346 | 1983 | 26.6% | 22.4% |
| Sargans | 1’344 | 1977 | 25.2% | 20.2% |
| Zuzwil (SG) | 1’319 | 1993 | 11.3% | 27.4% |
| Schänis | 1’314 | 1988 | 24.6% | 27.8% |
| Rorschacherberg | 1’292 | 1983 | 21.7% | 25.5% |
| Uznach | 1’276 | 1988 | 22.9% | 26.0% |
| Amden | 1’261 | 1970 | 35.8% | 18.2% |
| Mosnang | 1’199 | 1984 | 29.4% | 25.2% |
| Degersheim | 1’174 | 1975 | 34.0% | 19.0% |
| Berneck | 1’171 | 1975 | 28.9% | 23.9% |
| Kaltbrunn | 1’168 | 1988 | 24.2% | 33.3% |
| Rorschach | 1’148 | 1953 | 59.5% | 11.4% |
| Oberbüren | 1’143 | 1988 | 15.3% | 32.2% |
| Waldkirch | 1’128 | 1988 | 21.5% | 29.1% |
| Jonschwil | 1’110 | 1993 | 13.7% | 28.5% |
| Pfäfers | 1’074 | 1974 | 41.2% | 16.3% |
| Niederhelfenschwil | 961 | 1993 | 17.8% | 34.2% |
| Mörschwil | 940 | 1988 | 16.7% | 27.0% |
| Benken (SG) | 894 | 1988 | 26.4% | 32.2% |
| Rüthi (SG) | 852 | 1988 | 23.0% | 30.6% |
| Rheineck | 834 | 1969 | 41.0% | 20.3% |
| Eggersriet | 826 | 1975 | 27.8% | 19.4% |
| Schmerikon | 804 | 1975 | 26.9% | 24.0% |
| Marbach (SG) | 726 | 1987 | 25.1% | 30.0% |
| Steinach | 710 | 1983 | 24.9% | 26.1% |
| Eichberg | 610 | 1990 | 21.8% | 30.3% |
| Lütisburg | 578 | 1981 | 30.6% | 23.7% |
| Andwil (SG) | 549 | 1990 | 17.1% | 29.1% |
| Weesen | 537 | 1975 | 40.0% | 19.2% |
| Lichtensteig | 521 | 1975 | 40.7% | 22.3% |
| Niederbüren | 511 | 1988 | 20.5% | 32.1% |
| Muolen | 397 | 1983 | 28.2% | 30.7% |
| Häggenschwil | 386 | 1993 | 20.2% | 32.9% |
| Untereggen | 381 | 1993 | 21.8% | 31.2% |
| Tübach | 357 | 1986 | 15.1% | 31.7% |
| Berg (SG) | 306 | 1983 | 21.6% | 19.0% |
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 St. GallenOther cantons
More data for St. Gallen
- Parcels and building zones St. Gallen in geopool