The population is almost entirely French-speaking.
The canton has historically been strongly Protestant, but in recent decades it has received an influx of Roman Catholic arrivals, notably from Portugal and Italy.
In 2000, its population was closely split between Protestants (38%) and Roman Catholics (31%).

The 176,850 inhabitants (as of 2018) are fairly evenly distributed with many small towns and villages lining the shore of the Lake of Neuchâtel.
The average population density is 209 people per km² (542 sq mi).
Neuchâtel (2018 population: 33,489) is the canton's capital while La Chaux-de-Fonds (2018 population: 37,952) is the canton's largest settlement.
Some 38,000 of the inhabitants, or a little less than a quarter of the population, are of foreign origin.
The population is almost entirely French-speaking. The canton has historically been strongly Protestant, but in recent decades it has received an influx of Roman Catholic arrivals, notably from Portugal and Italy. In 2000, its population was closely split between Protestants (38%) and Roman Catholics (31%).
The 176,850 inhabitants (as of 2018) are fairly evenly distributed with many small towns and villages lining the shore of the Lake of Neuchâtel. The average population density is 209 people per km² (542 sq mi). Neuchâtel (2018 population: 33,489) is the canton's capital while La Chaux-de-Fonds (2018 population: 37,952) is the canton's largest settlement. Some 38,000 of the inhabitants, or a little less than a quarter of the population, are of foreign origin.
Canton of Neuchâtel