Relocations in Switzerland continue to decline
Keystone-SDA
Around a tenth of the Swiss population moved house last year. This means that the number of relocations remains at a historically low level, according to the government’s new relocation statistics. In addition, the smaller the home, the higher the likelihood of moving.
While international relocations have increased since 2020, relocations within Switzerland have fallen sharply. Around 697,000 people moved last year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported on Monday. At 769,000 people, this figure was significantly higher in 2020.
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Almost three quarters of all people who moved last year remained in the same canton. At 36% , the number of people who moved within their municipality is almost the same as the number of people who moved to another municipality last year, according to the FSO. A share of 16% changed canton and 13% moved abroad. These figures have hardly changed compared to 2023.
Urban residents were much more inclined to move than rural ones. The relocation rate was still highest in the cantons of Basel-City (11.3%) and Neuchâtel (10.6%) – it was lowest in Nidwalden (7.4%) and Obwalden (7.4%). In an urban comparison, the most people moved in Fribourg and St. Gallen in 2024, and the least in Lancy and Vernier in canton Geneva.
Single people move more often
According to the FSO, young households moved most frequently – single people moved almost twice as often as married couples. In comparison, the relocation rate of Swiss nationals was significantly lower than that of foreign nationals. Compared to residents of houses, people living in apartment blocks moved more frequently. In addition, men living alone moved home more frequently than women living alone.
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Furthermore, the smaller the flat, the higher the likelihood of moving. In 2024, people living in a 1- to 2-room flat moved twice as often as people living in a flat with four or more rooms.
According to the FSO, the majority of people who moved within Switzerland in 2024 also changed the size of their home. When moving house, young adults and people over 50 generally gave up one or more rooms. People who moved from the countryside to the city in 2024 are very likely to have lost living space.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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