Kerns 
OW
Kerns is a commune in the canton of Obwalden with 6,557 residents (FSO), 12.5 % of them foreign nationals. On a gross salary of CHF 100,000 a single person pays CHF 12,462 in income tax here, rank 391 of 2,110 communes (FTA).
Authorities, contacts and news for this commune will follow.
Taxes
Federal, cantonal and communal, without church tax, official FTA tax calculator. Rank 1 = lowest tax.
Commune tax multiplier
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 470 | 470 | 470 | 470 | 471 | 470 | 470 | 470 | 450 | 470 | 470 |
FTA; comparable within the canton only. All multipliers in the canton of Obwalden
Work it out yourself
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Typically Kerns: specialities, brands, sights
What makes Kerns special, from official registers and gathered with pleasure.
Protected specialities (PDO/PGI)
Kerns lies in the area of origin of these protected specialities:
- Sbrinz cheese
Good to know
- 5 cultural properties of national importance, for example: Bauernhaus im Huwel, Bauernhaus in der Grosshostett, Kapelle St. Nikolaus, Melchsee Frutt / Müllerenhütte, Melchtal
Sources: FOAG (register of PDO/PGI), FOC and FOEN (UNESCO World Heritage, parks), FOCP (inventory of cultural property), commercial register (Zefix), Culinary Heritage of Switzerland.
Charging stations near you
Free public charge points within 3 km, live from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. Your location is used for this one lookup only and is never stored.
Commune finances
Show table
| Year | Revenue m | Expenditure m | Result m | per resident CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 32.4 | 37.2 | −4.9 | −746 |
| 2023 | 31.5 | 30.4 | 1.1 | 172 |
| 2022 | 30.7 | 28.0 | 2.7 | 424 |
| 2021 | 29.6 | 31.6 | −1.9 | −305 |
| 2020 | 32.1 | 26.6 | 5.5 | 864 |
| 2019 | 29.4 | 26.8 | 2.6 | 411 |
| 2018 | 29.2 | 24.6 | 4.6 | 731 |
| 2017 | 28.0 | 22.8 | 5.1 | 815 |
| 2016 | 29.8 | 22.3 | 7.5 | 1,212 |
| 2015 | 25.7 | 26.2 | −0.5 | −87 |
Result = revenue minus expenditure of the income statement. Source: FFA financial statistics.
The commune in figures
Births and deaths
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 76 | 71 | 69 | 60 | 71 | 55 | 72 | 52 | 49 | 52 |
| Deaths | 34 | 37 | 30 | 51 | 62 | 42 | 49 | 36 | 37 | 47 |
FSO, demographic balance · Births and deaths in the canton of Obwalden
Immigration and emigration
In 2025, 101 people moved to Kerns from abroad, 94 of them foreign nationals; 53 moved abroad. Net international migration: +48.
Arrivals and departures by world region 2025
| Origin | arrived | left |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 7 | 8 |
| EU | 70 | 41 |
| rest of Europe | 4 | 2 |
| Africa | 1 | 0 |
| North America | 1 | 0 |
| Latin America and Caribbean | 0 | 1 |
| Asia | 18 | 1 |
For individual communes the FSO publishes nationality by world region only. Source: FSO, migration statistics of the permanent resident population.
Naturalisations
Origin of people naturalised in 2025: Oceania 1
FSO
The canton compared
| Figure | Value | Rank | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton tax (example) | CHF 8,329 | 9 / 26 | 2026 |
| Average rent | CHF 1,449 | 16 / 26 | 2024 |
| Health premium | CHF 524 | 5 / 26 | 2027 |
| Electricity price | 25.99 Rp./kWh | 10 / 26 | 2027 |
| Vacant homes | 0.5 % | 23 / 26 | 2025 |
| Unemployment | 1.0 % | 2 / 26 | 2026 |
Nearby communes
Frequently asked questions
How many people live in Kerns?
6,557 (FSO).
How high are taxes in Kerns?
On a gross salary of CHF 100,000 a single person pays CHF 12,462 in federal, cantonal and communal tax (FTA).
How much tax does a family pay in Kerns?
A married couple with two children and a gross salary of CHF 100,000 pays CHF 6,883 in federal, cantonal and communal tax (FTA).
What share of residents are foreign nationals in Kerns?
12.5 % of residents do not hold Swiss citizenship (FSO).
Sources: FSO, FTA, FFA, SECO, FOPH · www.kerns.ch · JSON · Coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Archive
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