Aerial view with Amsoldinger Lake and Höfen (1952)
Before the merger, Höfen had a total area of 4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi).[2] Of this area, 3.42 km2 (1.32 sq mi) or 74.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.74 km2 (0.29 sq mi) or 16.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.27 km2 (0.10 sq mi) or 5.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.1 km2 (25 acres) or 2.2% is either rivers or lakes and 0.08 km2 (20 acres) or 1.7% is unproductive land.[3]
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 2.8%. 14.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.5% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 23.9% is used for growing crops and 48.2% is pastures, while 2.2% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in lakes. Of the unproductive areas, 1.7% is unproductive vegetation.[3]
The lake Uebeschisee is located partially in the former municipality.
Demographics
Höfen had a population (as of 2011) of 444.[2] As of 2007[update], 2.1% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -3.5%. Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (98.7%), with French being second most common ( 0.3%) and Rhaeto-romance being third ( 0.3%).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP which received 49.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the Green Party (12.3%), the SPS (11.6%) and the local small left-wing parties (10.7%).
The age distribution of the population (as of 2000[update]) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 29.4% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 11.3%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Höfen about 77.7% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).
Höfen has an unemployment rate of 0.92%. As of 2005[update], there were 65 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 26 businesses involved in this sector. 9 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 3 businesses in this sector. 56 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 10 businesses in this sector.[2]
The historical population is given in the following table:[4]
