Poverty and living standards in Genève (Région lémanique, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Geneva CHF 3.1 billion in 2024, or CHF 5,886 per resident, the highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 665.63 million of it.
How much does Geneva spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 441.08 million), courts (CHF 237.20 million) and prisons (CHF 206.68 million), cost the cantonal government of Geneva CHF 1,993 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Geneva?
34,886 people in 21,871 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Geneva in 2024, an average of 1.60 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Geneva was CHF 1.3 billion in 2024 (CHF 2,427 per resident), with CHF 284.29 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 450.29 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 215.58 million of cantonal social spending in Geneva in 2024, and social housing CHF 105.78 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Geneva was 6.0% in 2019, so it has risen by 0.7 percentage points in five years (it stood at 5.4% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Geneva accounted for 13.6% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 5.9% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Genève compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Genève ranks 1 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | CHF 5,886 |
| 2 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 5,564 |
| 3 | Vaud | CHF 4,441 |
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 3,908 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 3,448 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 3,121 |
| 7 | Bern / Berne | CHF 2,779 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Genève ranks 1 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | CHF 2,427 |
| 2 | Vaud | CHF 1,464 |
| 3 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 1,432 |
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 1,073 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 774 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 742 |
| 7 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 716 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Genève ranks 1 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | 6.7% |
| 2 | Neuchâtel | 5.7% |
| 3 | Basel-Stadt | 4.7% |
| 4 | Vaud | 4.2% |
| 5 | Jura | 3.9% |
| 6 | Bern / Berne | 3.6% |
| 7 | Solothurn | 3.4% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Genève ranks 1 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genève | +0.7 |
| 2 | Jura | +0.6 |
| 3 | Nidwalden | +0.1 |
| 4 | Schaffhausen | +0.1 |
| 5 | Ticino | +0.1 |
| 6 | Valais / Wallis | +0.1 |
| 7 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | +0.0 |
More on Genève: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Région lémanique · 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.