Poverty and living standards in Bern / Berne (Espace Mittelland, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Bern CHF 3.0 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,779 per resident, 7th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 445.78 million of it.
How much does Bern spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 568.13 million), courts (CHF 252.34 million) and prisons (CHF 205.56 million), cost the cantonal government of Bern CHF 1,102 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Bern?
38,790 people in 24,738 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Bern in 2024, an average of 1.57 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Bern was CHF 655.62 million in 2024 (CHF 612 per resident), with CHF 672.44 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 707.58 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 424.83 million of cantonal social spending in Bern in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Bern was 4.0% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.4 percentage points in five years (it stood at 4.3% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Bern accounted for 15.2% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 11.8% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Bern / Berne compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 7 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 3,908 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 3,448 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 3,121 |
| 7 | Bern / Berne | CHF 2,779 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 2,767 |
| 9 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 2,540 |
| 10 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 2,471 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 10 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 716 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 710 |
| 9 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | CHF 704 |
| 10 | Bern / Berne | CHF 612 |
| 11 | Glarus | CHF 574 |
| 12 | Nidwalden | CHF 569 |
| 13 | Zug | CHF 554 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 6 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Basel-Stadt | 4.7% |
| 4 | Vaud | 4.2% |
| 5 | Jura | 3.9% |
| 6 | Bern / Berne | 3.6% |
| 7 | Solothurn | 3.4% |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | 2.8% |
| 9 | Ticino | 2.8% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 19 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Vaud | -0.3 |
| 17 | Zug | -0.3 |
| 18 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | -0.4 |
| 19 | Bern / Berne | -0.4 |
| 20 | Thurgau | -0.4 |
| 21 | Aargau | -0.5 |
| 22 | Glarus | -0.5 |
More on Bern / Berne: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Espace Mittelland · Switzerland
Sources
- Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF): Detaillierte Daten FS und GFS Modell: Standardauswertungen (financial statistics of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, 1990-2024; standardauswertung.csv with its codelist, saved zipped), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5fec658d1506…)
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): WSH: Unterstützungseinheiten, Sozialhilfebeziehende und Sozialhilfequote der wirtschaftlichen Sozialhilfe nach Kanton, 2005-2024 (T 13.05.01.01.01), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 12ff5cd56e28…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.