Poverty and living standards in Neuchâtel (Espace Mittelland, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Neuchâtel CHF 701.55 million in 2024, or CHF 3,908 per resident, 4th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 148.66 million of it.
How much does Neuchâtel spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 87.06 million), courts (CHF 26.34 million) and prisons (CHF 39.04 million), cost the cantonal government of Neuchâtel CHF 1,209 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Neuchâtel?
10,227 people in 6,344 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Neuchâtel in 2024, an average of 1.61 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Neuchâtel was CHF 192.63 million in 2024 (CHF 1,073 per resident), with CHF 87.12 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 141.89 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 87.53 million of cantonal social spending in Neuchâtel in 2024, and social housing CHF 2.52 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Neuchâtel was 7.0% in 2019, so it has fallen by 1.3 percentage points in five years (it stood at 7.1% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Neuchâtel accounted for 4.0% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 2.0% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Neuchâtel compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Neuchâtel ranks 4 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | CHF 5,886 |
| 2 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 5,564 |
| 3 | Vaud | CHF 4,441 |
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 3,908 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 3,448 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 3,121 |
| 7 | Bern / Berne | CHF 2,779 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Neuchâtel ranks 4 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | CHF 2,427 |
| 2 | Vaud | CHF 1,464 |
| 3 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 1,432 |
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 1,073 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 774 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 742 |
| 7 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 716 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Neuchâtel ranks 2 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | 6.7% |
| 2 | Neuchâtel | 5.7% |
| 3 | Basel-Stadt | 4.7% |
| 4 | Vaud | 4.2% |
| 5 | Jura | 3.9% |
| 6 | Bern / Berne | 3.6% |
| 7 | Solothurn | 3.4% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Neuchâtel ranks 26 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Thurgau | -0.4 |
| 21 | Aargau | -0.5 |
| 22 | Glarus | -0.5 |
| 23 | Basel-Landschaft | -0.6 |
| 24 | Zürich | -0.6 |
| 25 | Basel-Stadt | -1.3 |
| 26 | Neuchâtel | -1.3 |
More on Neuchâtel: 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…)
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