Poverty and living standards in Obwalden (Zentralschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Obwalden CHF 64.67 million in 2024, or CHF 1,631 per resident, the lowest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 21.62 million of it.
How much does Obwalden spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 13.27 million), courts (CHF 7.35 million) and prisons (CHF 1.00 million), cost the cantonal government of Obwalden CHF 814 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Obwalden?
309 people in 217 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Obwalden in 2024, an average of 1.42 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Obwalden was CHF 10.73 million in 2024 (CHF 271 per resident), with CHF 12.30 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 16.30 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 3.35 million of cantonal social spending in Obwalden in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Obwalden was 1.1% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.3 percentage points in five years (it stood at 1.1% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Obwalden accounted for 0.1% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 0.4% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Obwalden compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Obwalden ranks 26 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Uri | CHF 1,964 |
| 21 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | CHF 1,857 |
| 22 | Nidwalden | CHF 1,845 |
| 23 | Schwyz | CHF 1,782 |
| 24 | Aargau | CHF 1,781 |
| 25 | Thurgau | CHF 1,773 |
| 26 | Obwalden | CHF 1,631 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Obwalden ranks 26 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)
Obwalden ranks 26 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Zug | 1.3% |
| 21 | Thurgau | 1.1% |
| 22 | Uri | 1.1% |
| 23 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | 1.0% |
| 24 | Nidwalden | 1.0% |
| 25 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | 0.9% |
| 26 | Obwalden | 0.8% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Obwalden ranks 14 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 17 | Zug | -0.3 |
More on Obwalden: 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.