Poverty and living standards in St. Gallen (Ostschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of St. Gallen CHF 1.1 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,057 per resident, 10th lowest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 316.78 million of it.
How much does St. Gallen spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 205.54 million), courts (CHF 109.47 million) and prisons (CHF 96.06 million), cost the cantonal government of St. Gallen CHF 841 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in St. Gallen?
9,654 people in 6,213 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in St. Gallen in 2024, an average of 1.55 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in St. Gallen was CHF 181.59 million in 2024 (CHF 336 per resident), with CHF 224.89 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 328.01 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 25.47 million of cantonal social spending in St. Gallen in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in St. Gallen was 2.1% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.3 percentage points in five years (it stood at 2.2% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- St. Gallen accounted for 3.8% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 6.0% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How St. Gallen compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 17 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 19 | Zug | CHF 2,038 |
| 20 | Uri | CHF 1,964 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 24 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Solothurn | CHF 374 |
| 21 | Aargau | CHF 368 |
| 22 | Luzern | CHF 343 |
| 23 | Schwyz | CHF 342 |
| 24 | St. Gallen | CHF 336 |
| 25 | Thurgau | CHF 290 |
| 26 | Obwalden | CHF 271 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 16 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Fribourg / Freiburg | 2.0% |
| 14 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1.9% |
| 15 | Valais / Wallis | 1.9% |
| 16 | St. Gallen | 1.8% |
| 17 | Aargau | 1.6% |
| 18 | Glarus | 1.5% |
| 19 | Schwyz | 1.3% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 15 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | -0.3 |
| 13 | Luzern | -0.3 |
| 14 | Obwalden | -0.3 |
| 15 | St. Gallen | -0.3 |
| 16 | Vaud | -0.3 |
| 17 | Zug | -0.3 |
| 18 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | -0.4 |
More on St. Gallen: 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.