Böckten is a municipality in the Bezirk Sissach, situated in the middle of the Ergolztal valley. It lies at an altitude of 387 meters above sea level and covers a total surface area of 228 hectares. The key features of the municipality are summarized in Table 2, and its location is shown on the map in Figure 1.

The history of Böckten is one of gradual evolution. Originally named Bettinghofen, the village was first documented as Bettinchon in 1246, with the name simplifying over the centuries to Betkon by 1339. The settlement area expanded significantly in the 1980s and 1990s, merging with the neighboring village of Gelterkinden while remaining distinct from Sissach. A more detailed summary is available on its Wikipedia page.

As of 2025, Böckten has a population of 859 residents. Of these, 15.6 percent are foreign nationals, with the remainder being Swiss citizens. The population structure shows 144 young people aged 0-17, 547 adults of working age (18-65), and 168 older adults over 65. The gender ratio is nearly balanced, with 442 men and 417 women. In terms of total population, Böckten ranks 53rd among the 86 municipalities in the canton. The population development by age group since 2005 is detailed in Table 2.

The land use in Böckten reflects a balance between nature and settlement. Of its 228-hectare total area, 14.5 percent is designated for settlements, 42.7 percent is used for agriculture, and 41.4 percent is covered by forest, with the remaining 1.3 percent being unproductive surface.

In fiscal matters, Böckten's tax revenue ranks 45th in the canton. The municipal tax multiplier and its corresponding rank among the 86 municipalities are detailed in the accompanying financial tables.

Energy consumption in Böckten for 2022 shows a mix of sources. The main energy carriers were heating oil at 6,790 MWh, electricity at 6,615 MWh, ambient heat at 2,082 MWh, wood at 1,579 MWh, photovoltaics at 579 MWh, and thermal solar energy at 90 MWh. Electricity consumption is a useful benchmark, as it is used universally. With a per capita consumption of 8 MWh, Böckten ranks 6th highest in the canton, placing it in the top 10. Such high per capita consumption can often be attributed to industrial activity within a municipality.

The vehicle stock in Böckten as of 2026 consists of 549 passenger cars and delivery vans. Of these, 460 vehicles run on combustion engines like petrol or diesel, while 89 are electric, representing an electric vehicle share of 16.2 percent in the local fleet. This data is presented in Table 3.

Waste recycling data from 2024 shows Böckten's performance across several categories. For paper and cardboard, recycling is 67 kg per capita, ranking 5th in the canton. For plastics, it is 4 kg per capita, ranking 7th, and for oils, it is 1 kg per capita, ranking 6th. Other categories include green waste at 163 kg per capita (rank 15), glass at 29 kg per capita (rank 19), residual and bulky waste at 151 kg per capita (rank 19), other metals at 5 kg per capita (rank 18), and tinplate and aluminum at 1 kg per capita (rank 52). With three categories ranked in the top 7, Böckten is among the leading municipalities in the canton for recycling performance. The total recycled waste, per capita values, and canton-wide comparisons are detailed in Table 4.