Affoltern im Emmental is a municipality in the district of Trachselwald in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

It remained a local chapel until 1484 when Teutonic Knights Commandry of Sumiswald provided funding for a permanent parish priest.

By the 18th century many local farmers were raising cattle for meat and milk in the rolling Emmental hills.

In the early 20th century the municipality remained fairly isolated and cheese producers and exporters began to leave for other communities.

Today about one-third of the jobs in Affoltern are in agriculture with the rest being in small manufacturers and service companies.

Of the rest of the municipality 0.87 km2 (0.34 sq mi) or 7.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and 0.01 km2 (2.5 acres) or 0.1% is unproductive land.

The hamlets of Weier, Rinderbach, Eggerdingen, Heiligenland, and Hirsegg belong to Affoltern im Emmental.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Argent an Apple Tree eradicated Vert fructed Gules.

[9] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (1,189 or 98.1%) as their first language, Serbo-Croatian is the second most common (8 or 0.7%) and French is the third (4 or 0.3%).

[14] The historical population is given in the following chart:[3][15][16] As of  2011[update], Affoltern im Emmental had an unemployment rate of 1.95%.

In the tertiary sector; 37 or 28.0% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 17 or 12.9% were in the movement and storage of goods, 21 or 15.9% were in a hotel or restaurant, 9 or 6.8% were the insurance or financial industry, 9 or 6.8% were in education, and 22 or 16.7% were in health care.

[22] From the 2000 census[update], 1,001 or 82.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church, while 66 or 5.4% were Roman Catholic.

The wettest month was May during which time Affoltern im Emmental received an average of 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain or snow.

The driest month of the year was February with an average of 67 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation over 10.5 days.

This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude.

Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an apprenticeship.

[24] During the 2012–13 school year, there were a total of 92 students attending classes in Affoltern im Emmental.

During the same year, the lower secondary schools in neighboring municipalities had a total of 13 students from Affoltern im Emmental.

[18] A train station is located in Weier, which connects it to Huttwil in the one direction and Lützelflüh in the other.