Poverty and living standards in Nordwestschweiz, Switzerland: official figures
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 21.2% in 2024, against 19.3% for Switzerland; 3rd highest of 7 regions in Switzerland.
How much does Northwestern Switzerland spend on welfare?
Social security cost the cantonal governments of Northwestern Switzerland together CHF 3.1 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,543 per resident, 4th highest of 7 greater regions; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 794.31 million of it.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow much does Northwestern Switzerland spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 518.56 million), courts (CHF 326.59 million) and prisons (CHF 237.94 million), cost the cantonal governments of Northwestern Switzerland together CHF 1,092 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Nordwestschweiz?
19.8% of people lived below the poverty line (60% of national median income after social transfers) in 2024, compared with 16.2% nationally; 2nd highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2014 it was 14.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Nordwestschweiz cannot afford basic necessities?
In 2024, 0.6% of residents were severely materially and socially deprived (unable to afford 7 or more of 13 everyday necessities), compared with 2.4% nationally; the lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 2.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Nordwestschweiz have nobody in work?
3.0% of people under 65 lived in households where adults worked less than a fifth of their potential in 2024, compared with 5.2% nationally; 2nd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 4.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Nordwestschweiz use the internet?
96.3% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, against 97.9% for Switzerland as a whole; the lowest 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 Northwestern Switzerland was CHF 681.84 million in 2024 (CHF 551 per resident), with CHF 458.52 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 843.65 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 250.07 million of cantonal social spending in Northwestern Switzerland in 2024, and social housing CHF 7.04 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Five years earlier, in 2019, 34,721 people in Northwestern Switzerland drew social assistance, roughly 3.0% of residents. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Within Northwestern Switzerland the social assistance rate in 2024 ranged from 1.6% in Aargau to 4.7% in Basel-Stadt. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Nordwestschweiz compares with other statistical regions
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 4 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 4 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 5 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 2 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 7 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 6 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)
Nordwestschweiz ranks 7 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 Nordwestschweiz: 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…)
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