Poverty and living standards in Zürich, Switzerland: official figures
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 14.7% in 2024, against 19.3% for Switzerland; 6th highest of 7 regions in Switzerland.
How much does the Zürich region spend on welfare?
Social security cost the cantonal governments of the Zürich region together CHF 3.7 billion in 2024, or CHF 2,294 per resident, 3rd lowest of 7 greater regions; health-insurance premium subsidies and other sickness benefits accounted for CHF 1.2 billion of it.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow much does the Zürich region spend on police?
Public order and safety, including the police (CHF 573.74 million), courts (CHF 499.99 million) and prisons (CHF 351.44 million), cost the cantonal governments of the Zürich region together CHF 995 per resident in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Zürich?
13.2% of people lived below the poverty line (60% of national median income after social transfers) in 2024, compared with 16.2% nationally; 2nd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2014 it was 8.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Zürich cannot afford basic necessities?
In 2024, 0.7% of residents were severely materially and socially deprived (unable to afford 7 or more of 13 everyday necessities), compared with 2.4% nationally; 2nd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 3.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Zürich have nobody in work?
4.3% of people under 65 lived in households where adults worked less than a fifth of their potential in 2024, compared with 5.2% nationally; 3rd lowest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2015 it was 5.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Zürich use the internet?
99.0% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025 (Switzerland: 97.9%); the highest of 7 statistical regions in Switzerland. In 2017 it was 92.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 100% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum in the Zürich region was CHF 660.61 million in 2024 (CHF 408 per resident), with CHF 433.49 million going to old age and survivors and CHF 698.28 million to disability. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Families and young people received CHF 569.53 million of cantonal social spending in the Zürich region in 2024, and social housing CHF 28.38 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Five years earlier, in 2019, 47,773 people in the Zürich region drew social assistance, roughly 3.1% of residents. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How Zürich compares with other statistical regions
Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Zürich ranks 5 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Cantonal social security spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | CHF 4,476 |
| 2 | Ticino | CHF 3,448 |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | CHF 2,794 |
| 4 | Nordwestschweiz | CHF 2,543 |
| 5 | Zürich | CHF 2,294 |
| 6 | Ostschweiz | CHF 2,055 |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | CHF 2,007 |
Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) (2024)
Zürich ranks 5 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Cantonal spending on social assistance and asylum per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | CHF 1,597 |
| 2 | Ticino | CHF 774 |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | CHF 607 |
| 4 | Nordwestschweiz | CHF 551 |
| 5 | Zürich | CHF 408 |
| 6 | Zentralschweiz | CHF 392 |
| 7 | Ostschweiz | CHF 379 |
Social assistance recipients as % of residents (2024)
Zürich ranks 4 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Social assistance recipients as % of residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | 4.5% |
| 2 | Espace Mittelland | 3.5% |
| 3 | Ticino | 2.8% |
| 4 | Zürich | 2.5% |
| 5 | Nordwestschweiz | 2.3% |
| 6 | Zentralschweiz | 1.6% |
| 7 | Ostschweiz | 1.6% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2024)
Zürich ranks 6 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticino | 27.8% |
| 2 | Nordwestschweiz | 19.8% |
| 3 | Région lémanique | 19.0% |
| 4 | Espace Mittelland | 16.1% |
| 5 | Ostschweiz | 13.4% |
| 6 | Zürich | 13.2% |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | 10.4% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2024)
Zürich ranks 6 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Région lémanique | 4.7% |
| 2 | Ticino | 4.1% |
| 3 | Ostschweiz | 3.7% |
| 4 | Zentralschweiz | 2.6% |
| 5 | Espace Mittelland | 1.6% |
| 6 | Zürich | 0.7% |
| 7 | Nordwestschweiz | 0.6% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2024)
Zürich ranks 5 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticino | 12.9% |
| 2 | Région lémanique | 7.9% |
| 3 | Espace Mittelland | 5.0% |
| 4 | Ostschweiz | 4.7% |
| 5 | Zürich | 4.3% |
| 6 | Nordwestschweiz | 3.0% |
| 7 | Zentralschweiz | 3.0% |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Zürich ranks 1 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zürich | 99.0% |
| 2 | Région lémanique | 98.8% |
| 3 | Ostschweiz | 98.1% |
| 4 | Espace Mittelland | 97.7% |
| 5 | Zentralschweiz | 97.5% |
| 6 | Ticino | 96.8% |
| 7 | Nordwestschweiz | 96.3% |
More on Zürich: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Switzerland
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
- 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…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
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