Kirchleerau

Kirchleerau is first mentioned in 1248 as Lerowe.[3]

Aerial view (1953)

Kirchleerau has an area, as of 2009, of 4.36 square kilometers (1.68 sq mi). Of this area, 1.81 km² (0.70 sq mi) or 41.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.18 km² (0.84 sq mi) or 50.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.37 km² (0.14 sq mi) or 8.5% is settled (buildings or roads).[4]

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 4.4% and transportation infrastructure made up 2.5%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 21.6% is used for growing crops and 18.1% is pastures, while 1.8% is used for orchards or vine crops.[4]

The municipality is located in the Zofingen district, in an eastern side valley to the Suhre river valley (Suhrental).

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure a Church Argent windowed and doored Sable and roofed Gules on a Base Vert. The church (German: Kirche) makes this an example of canting.[5]

Kirchleerau has a population (as of December 2018) of 863[6] As of June 2009, 6.4% of the population are foreign nationals.[7] Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 1.1%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German(97.3%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 1.0%) and French being third ( 0.3%).[8]

The age distribution, as of 2008, in Kirchleerau is; 64 children or 8.6% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 74 teenagers or 9.9% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 82 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 117 people or 15.7% are between 30 and 39, 130 people or 17.4% are between 40 and 49, and 114 people or 15.3% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 85 people or 11.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 49 people or 6.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 28 people or 3.8% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 3 people or 0.4% who are 90 and older.[9]

As of 2000 the average number of residents per living room was 0.5 which is fewer people per room than the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics.[10] About 63% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage or a rent-to-own agreement).[11]

As of 2000, there were 17 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 121 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 146 homes with 5 or more persons in the household.[12] As of 2000, there were 296 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household.[8] In 2008 there were 163 single family homes (or 51.4% of the total) out of a total of 317 homes and apartments.[13] There were a total of 0 empty apartments for a 0.0% vacancy rate.[13] As of 2007, the construction rate of new housing units was 4 new units per 1000 residents.[8]

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 49.07% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP (12.87%), the SP (12.75%) and the CVP (7.18%). In the federal election, a total of 283 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 47.9%.[14]

The historical population is given in the following table:[3][9]

As of  2007, Kirchleerau had an unemployment rate of 1.61%. As of 2005, there were 67 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 20 businesses involved in this sector. 94 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 9 businesses in this sector. 442 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 21 businesses in this sector.[8]

In 2000 there were 414 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 313 or about 75.6% of the residents worked outside Kirchleerau while 128 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 229 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality.[15] Of the working population, 5.9% used public transportation to get to work, and 63.7% used a private car.[8]

From the 2000 census, 126 or 18.0% were Roman Catholic, while 492 or 70.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.[12]

The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Kirchleerau about 76.8% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).[8] Of the school age population (in the 2008/2009 school year), there are 59 students attending primary school in the municipality.[12]