SBLA Commercial location analysis · Switzerland

Opening a sports shop in the canton of Solothurn

Planning to open a sports shop in the canton of Solothurn? Here are the official figures for the cantonal market — then the analysis of your specific address. At canton level everything averages out; a lease is signed on a street.

Analyse an address →See the figures

The canton of Solothurn in figures

Population289’792inhabitants across 106 municipalities
Average taxable income59’425 CHFper taxpayer
Median age46.4years · 59.4 % aged 20–64
Reference commercial rent14.90 CHFper m² per month
Jobs — retail trade9’476positions in the canton
Sports shops in Switzerland2’523businesses
National density3’587inhabitants per business
Average municipal tax multiplier117.4 %(2025)
Projected population 2035306’656inhabitants (+5.4 %)

How many sports shops are there in the canton of Solothurn?

Switzerland has 2’523 businesses in this activity (NOGA 4764, STATENT 2023) for 9’051’029 inhabitants — one business per 3’587 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Solothurn (289’792 inhabitants), that national ratio would correspond to roughly 81 businesses.

This is a density benchmark, not a local count: competition is never evenly spread. SBLA counts the businesses actually present, hectare by hectare, around a given address — using STATENT and OpenStreetMap.

The local market

Average taxable income in the canton of Solothurn stands at 59’425 CHF (below the Swiss average of 62’152 CHF). Median age is 46.4, and 59.4 % of the population is aged 20–64 — the bracket that drives most consumer spending.

A Swiss household spends an average of 109.51 CHF per month on “Recreation equipment and goods” (Household Budget Survey, FSO 2023). Across the canton’s 131’314 households, that is a theoretical market of roughly 14.4 million CHF per month.

Setup costs

At 14.90 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024), a 90 m² retail space costs around 1’341 CHF per month excluding charges. The canton’s average municipal tax multiplier is 117.4 % (2025) — it varies widely between municipalities, and that gap feeds straight through to the bottom line. It is not comparable across cantons: each canton applies its multiplier to its own tax base.

Snapshot of 17 July 2026: 161 commercial spaces were advertised for rent in the canton of Solothurn.

Footfall and access

The canton’s busiest railway stations are Olten (81’600), Solothurn (15’600), Oensingen (5’200) (passengers per day, SBB 2025). Station footfall is a good proxy for a town-centre shop; SBLA additionally measures public-transport quality (ARE classes) and road traffic (ASTRA) at the analysed address.

The canton recorded 888 new dwellings in 2023 — a growth signal for the resident customer base.

0–100 Viability score
  • Market
  • Population
  • Access
  • Momentum

What you get

Every address analysed receives a 0–100 score, broken down into four pillars weighted by type of business.

  • Catchment area — population and purchasing power genuinely reachable around the address, hectare by hectare (STATPOP FSO).
  • Competition — businesses in the same activity nearby (STATENT and OpenStreetMap, cross-checked with strike-offs from the ZEFIX commercial register).
  • Footfall & access — public transport, stations and road traffic nearby.
  • Setup costs — reference rent, charges and municipal taxes.
  • Verdict in figures — a 0–100 viability score and a detailed report, exportable as PDF.
Analyse an address →

How it works

  1. You enter an address

    The exact address of the space and the intended activity — not just a municipality.

  2. SBLA combines the data

    Population hectare by hectare, competition, transport, rents, taxation: some thirty official, dated indicators.

  3. You get a verdict

    A 0–100 viability score, a competition map and a report you can export as PDF.

Where to open in the canton of Solothurn?

The most populous municipalities offer the largest catchment — and the densest competition. Start the analysis directly on one of them:

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to rent premises for a sports shop in the canton of Solothurn?

The reference commercial rent in the canton of Solothurn is 14.90 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024). For a 90 m² space that is roughly 1’341 CHF per month excluding charges. Actual rent varies widely with location: a high street and an out-of-town site can differ threefold.

How many sports shops are there in Switzerland?

2’523 businesses in 2023 (STATENT, FSO), one per 3’587 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Solothurn, that ratio would correspond to about 81 businesses.

Is the canton of Solothurn a growing market?

The FSO projects 306’656 inhabitants in 2035 against 290’844 in 2026, i.e. +5.4 %. The canton also recorded 888 new dwellings in 2023.

Which are the most populous municipalities in the canton of Solothurn?

Olten (19’051 inhabitants), Grenchen (18’602 inhabitants), Solothurn (16’847 inhabitants). SBLA analyses any address in the canton, including smaller municipalities where competition is often lighter.

Is the analysis free?

Yes. Enter an address and the intended activity: SBLA returns a 0–100 viability score, some thirty sourced indicators and a competition map, exportable as PDF.

Ready to test an address?

The analysis is free and takes under a minute.

Analyse an address →

Other activities in the canton of Solothurn

Sports shops in the other cantons

The other side

Sources and vintages

Population and age: STATPOP 2024 (FSO). Taxable income: FTA 2022. Businesses: STATENT 2023 (FSO). Jobs by branch: STATENT (FSO). Rents: FSO 2024. Municipal taxation: FTA 2025. Population projections: FSO, reference scenario. Station footfall: SBB 2025. Household budget: FSO 2023. Every figure on this page is recomputed at each publication.