Mysterious Relocations in Switzerland continue to decline
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 new relocation statistics from the federal government. In addition, the smaller the home, the higher the likelihood of moving.
08.12.2025, 10:10
08.12.2025, 10:11
SDA
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.
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. 16% changed canton and 13% moved abroad. These figures have hardly changed compared to 2023.
Urban municipalities were much more inclined to move than rural municipalities. The relocation rate was still highest in the cantons of Basel-Stadt (11.3 percent) and Neuchâtel (10.6 percent), while it was lowest in Nidwalden (7.4 percent) and Obwalden (7.4 percent). In an urban comparison, the most people moved in Fribourg and St. Gallen in 2024, and the least in Lancy GE and Vernier GE.
Single people move more often
According to the FSO, young households moved most frequently - single people moved almost twice as often as married people. In comparison, the relocation rate of Swiss nationals was significantly lower than that of foreign nationals. Compared to residents of single-family homes, people in multi-family homes move more frequently. In addition, men living alone moved home more frequently than women living alone.
Furthermore, the smaller the apartment, the higher the likelihood of moving. In 2024, people living in a 1- to 2-room apartment moved twice as often as people living in an apartment 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. Anyone who moved from the countryside to the city in 2024 was very likely to have lost living space.
