Demographics
Wattwil has a population (as of 31 December 2011) of 8,366. Krinau had a population (as of 2011) of 260. As of 2007, about 23.1% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (as of 2000), 192 are from Germany, 335 are from Italy, 717 are from ex-Yugoslavia, 29 are from Austria, 388 are from Turkey, and 322 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -2.6%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (86.9%), with Italian being second most common ( 2.9%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 2.6%). Of the Swiss national languages (as of 2000), 7,182 speak German, 28 people speak French, 238 people speak Italian, and 3 people speak Romansh.
The age distribution, as of 2000, in Wattwil is; 1,056 children or 12.8% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 1,155 teenagers or 14.0% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 1,001 people or 12.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 1,209 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 1,087 people or 13.2% are between 40 and 49, and 1,015 people or 12.3% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 766 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 594 people or 7.2% are between 70 and 79, there are 322 people or 3.9% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 60 people or 0.7% who are between 90 and 99.
In 2000 there were 1,049 persons (or 12.7% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 1,760 (or 21.3%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 4,632 (or 56.0%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 425 (or 5.1%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 52 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 21 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 42 who lived household made up of unrelated persons, and 284 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 37.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP (17.5%), the FDP (15.1%) and the SP (13.5%).
In Wattwil about 63.1% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). Out of the total population in Wattwil, as of 2000, the highest education level completed by 1,999 people (24.2% of the population) was Primary, while 2,765 (33.5%) have completed their secondary education, 745 (9.0%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 488 (5.9%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
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