This indicator provides information on level of income and therefore quality of life from a financial perspective. It allows us to compare the incomes of people living in different sized households.
From an integration perspective, an increase in the median annual equivalised disposable income indicates an improved situation.
The median annual equivalised disposable income of people with a migration background is significantly lower than that of people without such a background.
Since 2014, the median annual equivalised disposable income of people without a migration background has increased, whereas that of people with such a background has remained stable.
In most major regions, people without a migration background have a significantly higher median annual equivalised disposable income than people with a migration background, with the exception of Eastern and Central Switzerland and Ticino.
Disposable income: this is calculated by subtracting the compulsory transfer expenditure, e.g. social insurance contributions (OASI/DI contributions, occupational pensions, etc.), taxes, premiums for compulsory health insurance and regular transfers to other households (e.g. child maintenance) from the gross income.
Equivalised disposable income: this is calculated on the basis of the household disposable income, taking account of the household size and composition by means of an equivalence scale, where the oldest person is attributed a coefficient of 1.0, each person aged 14 or over is attributed a coefficient of 0.5, and each child aged under 14 is attributed a coefficient of 0.3. This takes account of the savings made by multi-person households.
Median: the median (middle value) divides the total values observed (and ranked according to size) into two equal halves: one half represents the 50% above the median, the other the 50% below it.
Following changes to the survey framework and improvements in the weighting model, results from 2014 onwards can no longer be directly compared with those from previous years (series break). See the document below for further details.
