Poverty and living standards in Fribourg / Freiburg (Espace Mittelland, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Fribourg CHF 856.51 million in 2024, or CHF 2,471 per resident, 10th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 217.31 million of it.
How much does Fribourg spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 133.41 million), courts (CHF 101.89 million) and prisons (CHF 59.93 million), cost the cantonal government of Fribourg CHF 1,015 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Fribourg?
6,905 people in 4,081 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Fribourg in 2024, an average of 1.69 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Fribourg was CHF 177.96 million in 2024 (CHF 513 per resident), with CHF 120.70 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 220.85 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 83.81 million of cantonal social spending in Fribourg in 2024, and social housing CHF 139,492. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Fribourg was 2.3% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.3 percentage points in five years (it stood at 2.6% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Fribourg accounted for 2.7% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 3.8% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Fribourg / Freiburg compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Fribourg / Freiburg ranks 10 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Bern / Berne | CHF 2,779 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 2,767 |
| 9 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 2,540 |
| 10 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 2,471 |
| 11 | Solothurn | CHF 2,462 |
| 12 | Glarus | CHF 2,435 |
| 13 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 2,385 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Fribourg / Freiburg ranks 15 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Nidwalden | CHF 569 |
| 13 | Zug | CHF 554 |
| 14 | Uri | CHF 526 |
| 15 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 513 |
| 16 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | CHF 488 |
| 17 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 408 |
| 18 | Zürich | CHF 408 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Fribourg / Freiburg ranks 13 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Zürich | 2.5% |
| 11 | Basel-Landschaft | 2.4% |
| 12 | Luzern | 2.1% |
| 13 | Fribourg / Freiburg | 2.0% |
| 14 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1.9% |
| 15 | Valais / Wallis | 1.9% |
| 16 | St. Gallen | 1.8% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Fribourg / Freiburg ranks 11 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Solothurn | +0.0 |
| 9 | Schwyz | -0.1 |
| 10 | Uri | -0.1 |
| 11 | Fribourg / Freiburg | -0.3 |
| 12 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | -0.3 |
| 13 | Luzern | -0.3 |
| 14 | Obwalden | -0.3 |
More on Fribourg / Freiburg: 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.