Poverty and living standards in Luzern (Zentralschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Luzern CHF 936.48 million in 2024, or CHF 2,138 per resident, 11th lowest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 248.31 million of it.
How much does Luzern spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 166.27 million), courts (CHF 87.84 million) and prisons (CHF 52.59 million), cost the cantonal government of Luzern CHF 778 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Luzern?
8,873 people in 5,592 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Luzern in 2024, an average of 1.59 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Luzern was CHF 150.23 million in 2024 (CHF 343 per resident), with CHF 194.50 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 245.06 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 68.72 million of cantonal social spending in Luzern in 2024, and social housing CHF 949. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Luzern was 2.4% 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
- Luzern accounted for 3.5% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 4.8% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Luzern compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Luzern ranks 16 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 2,385 |
| 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 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Luzern ranks 22 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | CHF 379 |
| 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 |
Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) (2024)
Luzern ranks 12 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Ticino | 2.8% |
| 10 | Zürich | 2.5% |
| 11 | Basel-Landschaft | 2.4% |
| 12 | Luzern | 2.1% |
| 13 | Fribourg / Freiburg | 2.0% |
| 14 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1.9% |
| 15 | Valais / Wallis | 1.9% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Luzern ranks 13 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Uri | -0.1 |
| 11 | Fribourg / Freiburg | -0.3 |
| 12 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | -0.3 |
| 13 | Luzern | -0.3 |
| 14 | Obwalden | -0.3 |
| 15 | St. Gallen | -0.3 |
| 16 | Vaud | -0.3 |
More on Luzern: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Zentralschweiz · 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.