Poverty and living standards in Valais / Wallis (Région lémanique, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Valais CHF 943.08 million in 2024, or CHF 2,540 per resident, 9th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 251.99 million of it.
How much does Valais spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 128.11 million), courts (CHF 63.32 million) and prisons (CHF 45.45 million), cost the cantonal government of Valais CHF 882 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Valais?
7,043 people in 4,134 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Valais in 2024, an average of 1.70 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Valais was CHF 265.74 million in 2024 (CHF 716 per resident), with CHF 58.93 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 232.83 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 104.49 million of cantonal social spending in Valais in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Valais was 1.8% in 2019, so it has risen by 0.1 percentage points in five years (it stood at 1.7% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Valais accounted for 2.8% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 4.1% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Valais / Wallis compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Valais / Wallis ranks 9 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Jura | CHF 3,121 |
| 7 | Bern / Berne | CHF 2,779 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 2,767 |
| 9 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 2,540 |
| 10 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 2,471 |
| 11 | Solothurn | CHF 2,462 |
| 12 | Glarus | CHF 2,435 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Valais / Wallis ranks 7 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Neuchâtel | CHF 1,073 |
| 5 | Ticino | CHF 774 |
| 6 | Jura | CHF 742 |
| 7 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 716 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 710 |
| 9 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | CHF 704 |
| 10 | Bern / Berne | CHF 612 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Valais / Wallis ranks 15 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 18 | Glarus | 1.5% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Valais / Wallis ranks 6 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Nidwalden | +0.1 |
| 4 | Schaffhausen | +0.1 |
| 5 | Ticino | +0.1 |
| 6 | Valais / Wallis | +0.1 |
| 7 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | +0.0 |
| 8 | Solothurn | +0.0 |
| 9 | Schwyz | -0.1 |
More on Valais / Wallis: 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.