Poverty in Switzerland is mostly short-term. Between 2019 and 2022, 16.7% of the population were affected by poverty in at least one of the four years of observation but only 1.4% were affected in all four years. There were thus considerably more people affected by poverty than was shown by the annual figures.
European comparison
To enable comparisons with other European countries, the European defined at-risk-of-poverty rate is used.
Between 2019 and 2022, 26.8% of the Swiss resident population were classified as at risk of poverty at least once. In Europe, this value varies between 15.4% (Sweden) and 39.3% (Montenegro).
Switzerland is among the countries with a low proportion of people at risk in the long-term. 3.3% of the population were at risk of poverty in all four years. This proportion was lowest in Hungary with 2.5% and highest in Lithuania with 12.1%.
SILC longitudinal data
The SILC-survey respondents are interviewed over a period of four consecutive years. Therefore, considerable changes in the living conditions of individuals can be described and the evolution of living standards examined. All persons who took part in the SILC from 2019 to 2022 and answered in all four years were considered in this analysis (around 3000 persons). Due to this relatively small sample size, the results are not broken down into subgroups. For further information, please consult the report "SILC longitudinal data".
The weighting model for the longitudinal data was revised. The results from 2017 are therefore no longer directly comparable with previous years (break in the time series). For further information, please consult the "Summary report on the revision of the longitudinal weightings of SILC-2018".
Further information
Statistical sources and concepts
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Income, Consumption and Living ConditionsEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
- Tel.
- +41 58 463 64 21