From 1950 to 2010, the number of centenarians in Switzerland virtually doubled every ten years. Between 2012 and 2018, this trend stabilised. From 2018 onwards, the number of centenarians will increase again, with an average of almost 100 new centenarians per year, of which more than 80% are women.
By the end of 2022, the number of centenarians will have risen to 1948, an increase of 3.2% on the previous year.
According to the longitudinal analysis on mortality (generational life tables 1876-2030), it can be estimated that one in three girls and one in six boys born in 2022 may become centenarians.
The number of centenarians will probably increase again over the next few decades because of longer life expectancy.
By the End of 2022, Switzerland had 22 centenarians per 100 000 residents. The cantons with the greatest concentration of centenarians were Neuchâtel and Basel-Stadt with more than 40 centenarians per 100 000 residents. Those with the lowest number were Appenzell I.Rh. and Zug with less then 10 per 100 000 residents.
The ranking of the cantons is slightly different when the number of centenarians is compared to that of seniors (65 years or over). The top trio of Geneva, Neuchâtel and Basel-Stadt recorded 218, 203 and 195 centenarians respectively per 100 000 seniors.
In terms of marital status, the vast majority of centenarians are widows or widowers. It is however interesting to note that almost one in ten centenarian has never changed their marital status throughout their life and has thus always remained single. Among those who never married are a large proportion of women.
On 1 January 2022, Switzerland is in the middle of the international ranking, with values similar to those of Belgium and Poland, i.e. 22 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants.
