Relocations Around 695,000 people changed their place of residence in Switzerland in 2023
In Switzerland, 9.3 percent of the population moved in 2023. This was the lowest rate in over ten years. The reasons for this are fewer available apartments, higher rents on offer and the increase in working from home.
09.12.2024, 09:15
09.12.2024, 14:22
SDA
While international migration has increased since 2020, relocations within Switzerland have fallen sharply. In 2023, around 695,000 people moved within Switzerland, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Monday. This compares to 769,000 in 2020.
Almost three quarters of people who moved in 2023 remained in the same canton. 37% moved within the same municipality and 35% moved to another municipality in the same canton. In addition, 16% moved to another canton and 12% moved abroad, according to the FSO.
The highest rate of population relocation was in the cantons of Basel-Stadt (11.9 percent) and Neuchâtel (10.7 percent). In contrast, it was lowest in the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden (6.9 percent) and Uri (7.3 percent).
Of the twenty largest Swiss cities, St. Gallen (14.1 percent) and Bern (13.1 percent) recorded the highest relocation rates, while Vernier GE (8.4 percent) and Bellinzona (8.7 percent) had the lowest. With a rate of 10.0 percent, the population of urban municipalities was more inclined to move than that of rural municipalities (7.8 percent).
On average, the moving distance for a change of residence within Switzerland was 13.5 kilometers. In 40 percent of cases, the move took place within a radius of less than two kilometers, according to the FSO.
Reasons for the declining number of moves
Real estate expert Bernhard Eicher from Wüest Partner sees the declining vacancy rate, the increase in available rents and the possibility of working from home as the reasons for the falling number of relocations.
The declining vacancy rate is reflected in fewer available apartments, Eicher told the Keystone-SDA news agency. People are therefore having to travel longer distances to find a good new apartment. Not everyone is prepared to do this.
In addition, new apartments have become more expensive due to the increased supply prices for rental apartments. And as existing rents, i.e. the rents of apartments that are already occupied, have risen less sharply, many people are considering whether they would be better off staying in their old apartment.
Eicher sees the increasing possibility of working from home in recent years as another reason. This means that employees no longer necessarily have to move to a new job and can remain in their original place of residence.
