Poverty and living standards in Espace Mittelland, Switzerland: official figures
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 19.1% in 2024, against 19.3% for Switzerland; 4th highest of 7 regions in Switzerland.
How much does Espace Mittelland spend on welfare?
Social security cost the cantonal governments of Espace Mittelland together CHF 5.5 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,794 per resident, 3rd highest of 7 greater regions; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 1.1 billion of it.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow much does Espace Mittelland spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 938.84 million), courts (CHF 451.22 million) and prisons (CHF 379.43 million), cost the cantonal governments of Espace Mittelland together CHF 1,084 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Espace Mittelland?
The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 16.1% in 2024, measured against 60% of median income in Switzerland, compared with 16.2% nationally; 4th highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2014 it was 17.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Espace Mittelland cannot afford basic necessities?
1.6% of people suffered severe material and social deprivation in 2024, meaning they could not afford at least 7 of 13 basic items such as heating, a week away or replacing worn-out furniture, compared with 2.4% nationally; 3rd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 1.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Espace Mittelland have nobody in work?
Very low work intensity affected 5.0% of people under 65 in 2024 (households where working-age adults worked under 20% of the time they could), compared with 5.2% nationally; 3rd highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 3.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Espace Mittelland use the internet?
97.7% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, against 97.9% for Switzerland as a whole; 4th highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2017 it was 91.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 97% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Espace Mittelland was CHF 1.2 billion in 2024 (CHF 607 per resident), with CHF 1.1 billion going to old age and survivors and CHF 1.3 billion to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 637.57 million of cantonal social spending in Espace Mittelland in 2024, and social housing CHF 2.79 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Five years earlier, in 2019, 72,485 people in Espace Mittelland drew social assistance, roughly 3.9% of residents. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Within Espace Mittelland the social assistance rate in 2024 ranged from 2.0% in Fribourg to 5.7% in Neuchâtel. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Espace Mittelland compares with other statistical regions
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 3 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | CHF 4,476 |
| 2 | Ticino | CHF 3,448 |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | CHF 2,794 |
| 4 | Nordwestschweiz | CHF 2,543 |
| 5 | Zürich | CHF 2,294 |
| 6 | Ostschweiz | CHF 2,055 |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | CHF 2,007 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 3 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | CHF 1,597 |
| 2 | Ticino | CHF 774 |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | CHF 607 |
| 4 | Nordwestschweiz | CHF 551 |
| 5 | Zürich | CHF 408 |
| 6 | Zentralschweiz | CHF 392 |
| 7 | Ostschweiz | CHF 379 |
Social assistance recipients as % of residents (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 2 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Social assistance recipients as % of residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | 4.5% |
| 2 | Espace Mittelland | 3.5% |
| 3 | Ticino | 2.8% |
| 4 | Zürich | 2.5% |
| 5 | Nordwestschweiz | 2.3% |
| 6 | Zentralschweiz | 1.6% |
| 7 | Ostschweiz | 1.6% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 4 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticino | 27.8% |
| 2 | Nordwestschweiz | 19.8% |
| 3 | Région lémanique | 19.0% |
| 4 | Espace Mittelland | 16.1% |
| 5 | Ostschweiz | 13.4% |
| 6 | Zürich | 13.2% |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | 10.4% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 5 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | 4.7% |
| 2 | Ticino | 4.1% |
| 3 | Ostschweiz | 3.7% |
| 4 | Zentralschweiz | 2.6% |
| 5 | Espace Mittelland | 1.6% |
| 6 | Zürich | 0.7% |
| 7 | Nordwestschweiz | 0.6% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2024)
Espace Mittelland ranks 3 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticino | 12.9% |
| 2 | Région lémanique | 7.9% |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | 5.0% |
| 4 | Ostschweiz | 4.7% |
| 5 | Zürich | 4.3% |
| 6 | Nordwestschweiz | 3.0% |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | 3.0% |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Espace Mittelland ranks 4 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zürich | 99.0% |
| 2 | Région lémanique | 98.8% |
| 3 | Ostschweiz | 98.1% |
| 4 | Espace Mittelland | 97.7% |
| 5 | Zentralschweiz | 97.5% |
| 6 | Ticino | 96.8% |
| 7 | Nordwestschweiz | 96.3% |
More on Espace Mittelland: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Switzerland
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
- 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…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.