Poverty and living standards in Appenzell Ausserrhoden (Ostschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Appenzell Ausserrhoden CHF 124.28 million in 2024, or CHF 2,192 per resident, 12th lowest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 38.91 million of it.
How much does Appenzell Ausserrhoden spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 21.66 million), courts (CHF 10.44 million) and prisons (CHF 9.95 million), cost the cantonal government of Appenzell Ausserrhoden CHF 906 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Appenzell Ausserrhoden?
1,052 people in 759 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 2024, an average of 1.39 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Appenzell Ausserrhoden was CHF 27.67 million in 2024 (CHF 488 per resident), with CHF 19.59 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 32.79 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 2.24 million of cantonal social spending in Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Appenzell Ausserrhoden was 2.3% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.4 percentage points in five years (it stood at 2.1% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden accounted for 0.4% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 0.6% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Appenzell Ausserrhoden compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden ranks 15 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Glarus | CHF 2,435 |
| 13 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 2,385 |
| 14 | Zürich | CHF 2,294 |
| 15 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | CHF 2,192 |
| 16 | Luzern | CHF 2,138 |
| 17 | St. Gallen | CHF 2,057 |
| 18 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | CHF 2,055 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden ranks 16 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 19 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | CHF 379 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden ranks 14 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 17 | Aargau | 1.6% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden ranks 18 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | St. Gallen | -0.3 |
| 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 |
More on Appenzell Ausserrhoden: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Ostschweiz · 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.