The canton of Glarus in numbers
The canton of Glarus in brief: a single person earning CHF 80,000 gross pays CHF 9'232 in taxes per year in the capital (rank 14 of 26), average rent is CHF 1'299 per month and the health-insurance premium CHF 481.92 per month — with around 1'311 hours of sunshine per year. Every figure below comes from an official source and is dated.
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| Metric | Value | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income tax (single, 80k) | CHF 9'232 per year | Rank 14 of 26 | ESTV · 2026 |
| Rent (avg) | CHF 1'299 per month | Rank 19 of 26 | BFS Strukturerhebung · 2024 |
| Health premium (adult) | CHF 481.92 per month | Rank 20 of 26 | BAG / priminfo · 2026 |
| Electricity price | 29.66 Rp./kWh | Rank 7 of 26 | ElCom · 2026 |
| Offences (per 1,000) | 38.23 per 1,000 residents | Rank 20 of 26 | BFS PKS · 2024 |
| Vacancy rate | 0.61% | Rank 20 of 26 | BFS LWZ · 2025 |
| Sunshine | 1'311 hours per year | Rank 24 of 24 | MeteoSwiss · 2025 |
| Jobs | 23'131 jobs | Rank 24 of 26 | BFS STATENT · 2023 |
| Net migration (per 1,000) | 7.63‰ | Rank 20 of 26 | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2024 |
| Foreign residents | 26.68% | Rank 12 of 26 | BFS STATPOP · 2024 |
| Fiscal balance per capita | −CHF 778 per person | Rank 23 of 26 | EFV FS-Modell · 2024 |
| Hospital beds (per 1,000) | 2.97 per 1,000 residents | Rank 18 of 21 | BFS Krankenhausstatistik · 2023 |
Income tax (single, 80k)
CHF 9'232 per year — Rank 14 of 26 (ESTV, 2026). Total income+wealth tax (federal+cantonal+communal) for a single person earning CHF 80,000, at the canton capital, 2026 (ESTV). Lower is cheaper. The single biggest location lever — e.g. Zug ~3,300 vs Neuchâtel ~12,900/yr. Note: at the cantonal capital; varies by commune.
Rent (avg)
CHF 1'299 per month — Rank 19 of 26 (BFS Strukturerhebung, 2024). Average monthly rent of a tenant-occupied dwelling in the canton, all sizes (2024). Lower is cheaper. The biggest offset to tax savings — e.g. Zug has low taxes but the highest rents. Caveat: canton average; city vs rural varies widely.
Health premium (adult)
CHF 481.92 per month — Rank 20 of 26 (BAG / priminfo, 2026). Average monthly mandatory health-insurance premium for an adult — standard model, CHF 300 deductible, accident included (2026). Lower is cheaper. A major household cost that varies a lot by canton (≈CHF 380–665/month), and a key offset to any tax saving when you move.
Electricity price
29.66 Rp./kWh — Rank 7 of 26 (ElCom, 2026). Median household electricity tariff in the canton — total price incl. energy, grid and charges, for a typical 5-room flat (4,500 kWh/yr, standard product; ElCom, 2026). Lower is cheaper. Varies by commune via the local grid operator.
Offences (per 1,000)
38.23 per 1,000 residents — Rank 20 of 26 (BFS PKS, 2024). Police-registered criminal-code offences per 1,000 residents (BFS Police Crime Statistics, 2024). Lower means fewer registered offences. Caveat: reporting behaviour varies, and city cantons count offences by commuters and visitors while only residents are in the denominator — Basel-Stadt and Geneva rank high partly for that reason.
Vacancy rate
0.61% — Rank 20 of 26 (BFS LWZ, 2025). Share of dwellings standing empty and offered for rent or sale on 1 June (BFS vacancy count, 2025). Higher means it is easier to find a flat; very low values (like Geneva or Zug) mean a tight housing market with more competition and rising rents.
Sunshine
1'311 hours per year — Rank 24 of 24 (MeteoSwiss, 2025). Average hours of sunshine per year, measured at the canton’s weather stations. Higher means sunnier.
Jobs
23'131 jobs — Rank 24 of 26 (BFS STATENT, 2023). Total jobs located in the canton (full- and part-time). A measure of the size of the local job market.
Net migration (per 1,000)
7.63‰ — Rank 20 of 26 (BFS Demografische Bilanz, 2024). People moving in minus those moving out, per 1,000 residents (international plus between cantons). Positive means the canton is growing through migration.
Foreign residents
26.68% — Rank 12 of 26 (BFS STATPOP, 2024). Share of residents who are foreign nationals (not Swiss citizens). A higher value means a more international population.
Fiscal balance per capita
−CHF 778 per person — Rank 23 of 26 (EFV FS-Modell, 2024). The canton’s yearly budget result per resident — revenue minus spending. Positive is a surplus (earns more than it spends); negative is a deficit, which can signal future tax pressure.
Hospital beds (per 1,000)
2.97 per 1,000 residents — Rank 18 of 21 (BFS Krankenhausstatistik, 2023). Hospital beds available per 1,000 residents. Higher means more hospital capacity in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
How high are taxes in the canton of Glarus?
A single person earning CHF 80,000 gross pays about CHF 9'232 in income and wealth tax per year in the capital of the canton of Glarus (ESTV, 2026) — rank 14 of 26 cantons.
How expensive is rent in the canton of Glarus?
The average monthly rent of a rented home in the canton of Glarus is CHF 1'299 (BFS, 2024) — rank 19 of 26 cantons.
How high is the health-insurance premium in the canton of Glarus?
The average monthly basic-insurance premium for an adult in the canton of Glarus is CHF 481.92 (BAG/priminfo, 2026) — rank 20 of 26 cantons.
How sunny is the canton of Glarus?
In the canton of Glarus the sun shines an average of 1'311 hours per year (MeteoSwiss, 2025) — rank 24 of 24 cantons.
What would moving to the canton of Glarus cost?
With the free Swiss Living Index move calculator you can compare taxes, rent and health premiums between your commune and one in the canton of Glarus — for your household, at commune level, from official data.