Poverty and living standards in Glarus (Ostschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Glarus CHF 103.17 million in 2024, or CHF 2,435 per resident, 12th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 21.87 million of it.
How much does Glarus spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 18.92 million), courts (CHF 7.87 million) and prisons (CHF 4.52 million), cost the cantonal government of Glarus CHF 1,047 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Glarus?
648 people in 426 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Glarus in 2024, an average of 1.52 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Glarus was CHF 24.33 million in 2024 (CHF 574 per resident), with CHF 18.24 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 28.02 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 8.27 million of cantonal social spending in Glarus in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Glarus was 2.0% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.5 percentage points in five years (it stood at 2.1% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Glarus accounted for 0.3% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 0.5% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Glarus compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Glarus ranks 12 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 14 | Zürich | CHF 2,294 |
| 15 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | CHF 2,192 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Glarus ranks 11 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 710 |
| 9 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | CHF 704 |
| 10 | Bern / Berne | CHF 612 |
| 11 | Glarus | CHF 574 |
| 12 | Nidwalden | CHF 569 |
| 13 | Zug | CHF 554 |
| 14 | Uri | CHF 526 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Glarus ranks 18 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Valais / Wallis | 1.9% |
| 16 | St. Gallen | 1.8% |
| 17 | Aargau | 1.6% |
| 18 | Glarus | 1.5% |
| 19 | Schwyz | 1.3% |
| 20 | Zug | 1.3% |
| 21 | Thurgau | 1.1% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Glarus ranks 22 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Bern / Berne | -0.4 |
| 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 |
More on Glarus: 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.