This indicator provides information on people’s lack of social network or unmet need for social interaction, which manifests itself as a feeling of loneliness.
In terms of integration, the aim is to decrease the feeling of loneliness.
Main results
Trends over time
Major regions
People without a migration background feel less often lonely than the population with a migration background.
The share of people reporting feeling of loneliness increased significantly between 2017 and 2022 for all population groups. This period overlaps with the Covid-19 pandemic and its social restrictions. The increase is particularly noticeable for the second or subsequent generations.
People with a migration background feel more often lonely than the population without such a background in all the major regions except Ticino where both populations show similar values. The widest gap by migration status is found in Central Switzerland.
Methodologies
Share of the permanent resident population aged 15 and over living in private households who say they sometimes or often feel lonely.
This indicator is based on the answer to the following question:
“Do you often feel lonely? Is this the case...
1 : very often;
2 : quite often;
3 : sometimes;
4 : never?”
We consider that a person feels lonely if they answer ‘very often’, ‘quite often’ or ‘sometimes’.
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Demography and MigrationEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland