Poverty and living standards in Schwyz (Zentralschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Social security cost the cantonal government of Schwyz CHF 301.03 million in 2024, or CHF 1,782 per resident, 4th lowest of 26 cantons; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 90.41 million of it.
How much does Schwyz spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 65.24 million), courts (CHF 21.86 million) and prisons (CHF 9.96 million), cost the cantonal government of Schwyz CHF 785 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many people are on welfare in Schwyz?
2,199 people in 1,402 households or cases (support units) received social assistance in Schwyz in 2024, an average of 1.57 people per case.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in Schwyz was CHF 57.72 million in 2024 (CHF 342 per resident), with CHF 50.68 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 78.86 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 17.30 million of cantonal social spending in Schwyz in 2024, and social housing CHF 0. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- The social assistance rate in Schwyz was 1.4% in 2019, so it has fallen by 0.1 percentage points in five years (it stood at 1.5% in 2014). Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Schwyz accounted for 0.9% of all social assistance recipients in Switzerland in 2024, while holding 1.9% of the population. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Schwyz compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Schwyz ranks 23 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)
Schwyz ranks 23 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)
Schwyz ranks 19 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance rate (% of residents receiving economic social assistance) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | St. Gallen | 1.8% |
| 17 | Aargau | 1.6% |
| 18 | Glarus | 1.5% |
| 19 | Schwyz | 1.3% |
| 20 | Zug | 1.3% |
| 21 | Thurgau | 1.1% |
| 22 | Uri | 1.1% |
Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) (2024)
Schwyz ranks 9 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in social assistance rate, 2019-2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Valais / Wallis | +0.1 |
| 7 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | +0.0 |
| 8 | Solothurn | +0.0 |
| 9 | Schwyz | -0.1 |
| 10 | Uri | -0.1 |
| 11 | Fribourg / Freiburg | -0.3 |
| 12 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | -0.3 |
More on Schwyz: 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…)
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