Poverty and living standards in Ticino (Ticino, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Ticino CHF 1.2 billion in 2024, or CHF 3,448 per resident, 5th highest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 390.32 million of it.
How much does Ticino spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 127.60 million), courts (CHF 88.85 million) and prisons (CHF 38.31 million), cost the cantonal government of Ticino CHF 948 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Ticino?
10,174 people in 7,015 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Ticino in 2024, an average of 1.45 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Ticino was CHF 277.84 million in 2024 (CHF 774 per resident), with CHF 152.90 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 254.67 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 124.91 million of cantonal social spending in Ticino in 2024, and social housing CHF 151,328. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Ticino was 2.7% in 2019, so it has risen by 0.1 percentage points in five years (it stood at 2.6% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Ticino accounted for 4.0% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 4.0% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Ticino compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Ticino ranks 5 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 2,767 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Ticino ranks 5 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | CHF 710 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Ticino ranks 9 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Bern / Berne | 3.6% |
| 7 | Solothurn | 3.4% |
| 8 | Schaffhausen | 2.8% |
| 9 | Ticino | 2.8% |
| 10 | Zürich | 2.5% |
| 11 | Basel-Landschaft | 2.4% |
| 12 | Luzern | 2.1% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Ticino ranks 5 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Solothurn | +0.0 |
More on Ticino: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Ticino · 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…)
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