Structural Survey

The structural survey is a component of the Population Census and complements information obtained from registers with additional statistics on the structure of the population.  In this survey, part of the population fill in a written questionnaire. The first results are available one year after the reference day.

Population Census

The main characteristics

• sample survey of at least 200,000 people;
• covers persons aged 15 and over living in a private household;
• can be answered by internet or by completing written questionnaire;
• is conducted annually with reference day 31 December. The reference day coincides with the register survey. In this way, the dates of both surveys can be combined;
• provides information on population, households, families, housing, employment, mobility, education, language and religion;
• provides answers at the following geographical levels: Switzerland, major regions, cantons and communes with 15,000 inhabitants and more;
• the results can aggregated over 3 and 5 years. This allows analyses to be made at a lower geographical level or in more detail on certain topics;
• Cantons and cities can enlarge the sample.

Fact sheet

 

Further information

Legal basis

Data protection

Documentation on survey