Poverty and living standards in Ostschweiz, Switzerland: official figures
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 16.2% in 2024, against 19.3% for Switzerland; 5th highest of 7 regions in Switzerland.
How much does Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) spend on welfare?
Social security cost the cantonal governments of Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) together CHF 2.6 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,055 per resident, 2nd lowest of 7 greater regions; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 776.01 million of it.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow much does Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 535.07 million), courts (CHF 244.58 million) and prisons (CHF 192.53 million), cost the cantonal governments of Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) together CHF 927 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Ostschweiz?
The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 13.4% in 2024, measured against 60% of median income in Switzerland, against 16.2% for Switzerland as a whole; 3rd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2014 it was 14.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Ostschweiz cannot afford basic necessities?
In 2024, 3.7% of residents were severely materially and socially deprived (unable to afford 7 or more of 13 everyday necessities), against 2.4% for Switzerland as a whole; 3rd highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 0.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Ostschweiz have nobody in work?
Very low work intensity affected 4.7% of people under 65 in 2024 (households where working-age adults worked under 20% of the time they could), against 5.2% for Switzerland as a whole; 4th highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 3.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Ostschweiz use the internet?
98.1% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, compared with 97.9% nationally; 3rd highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2017 it was 91.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 98% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) was CHF 473.25 million in 2024 (CHF 379 per resident), with CHF 468.33 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 701.75 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 63.74 million of cantonal social spending in Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) in 2024, and social housing CHF 1,967. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Five years earlier, in 2019, 21,770 people in Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) drew social assistance, roughly 1.9% of residents. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Within Eastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz) the social assistance rate in 2024 ranged from 0.9% in Appenzell Innerrhoden to 2.8% in Schaffhausen. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Ostschweiz compares with other statistical regions
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Ostschweiz ranks 6 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 7 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 7 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 5 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 3 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 4 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)
Ostschweiz ranks 3 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 Ostschweiz: 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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