The canton of Vaud in numbers

Income tax (single, 80k)

CHF 11'839 per year, Rank 25 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 1'465 per month, Rank 18 of 26 (BFS Strukturerhebung, 2024). Average monthly rent of a tenant-occupied dwelling in the canton, all sizes (2024). Lower is cheaper. Rent often differs more between cantons than taxes do, e.g. Zug has low taxes but the highest rents. Caveat: canton average; city vs rural varies widely.

Health premium, standard model (adult)

CHF 696.57 per month, Rank 21 of 26 (BAG / priminfo, 2027). Mean approved monthly premium of the standard model for an adult (free choice of doctor, CHF 300 deductible, accident included), across all insurers and premium regions of the canton. Lower is cheaper. BAG still uses it as the reference for supplementary benefits, but most people pay less: compare the lowest possible and the average premium.

Lowest health premium (adult)

CHF 447.86 per month, Rank 21 of 26 (BAG / priminfo, 2027). The lowest legally possible monthly premium for an adult: the cheapest approved premium of any insurer, insurance model and deductible (up to CHF 2,500), with accident cover, in each premium region, averaged over the canton by adult population. Lower is cheaper. It assumes the highest deductible and a restricted model (family doctor, HMO or telemedicine).

Average health premium (adult)

CHF 543.5 per month, Rank 20 of 26 (BAG / priminfo, 2027). What adults actually pay on average per month: BAG’s average premium across all insurers, models and deductibles, weighted by insured persons, per premium region, averaged over the canton by adult population. This is the figure BAG uses for its yearly premium announcement. Lower is cheaper.

Health premium saving potential (adult)

CHF 95.64 per month, Rank 17 of 26 (BAG / priminfo, 2027). The gap between the average premium and the lowest possible premium for an adult, per month: how much an average adult in the canton could save by switching to the cheapest insurer, model and deductible. Higher means more room to save. Switching insurer is possible until 30 November for the following year; a higher deductible means paying more yourself when you need care.

Premium subsidy recipients

37.9%, Rank 2 of 26 (BAG KVSTAT T 4.02, 2025). Share of insured people in the canton who received a premium subsidy (individual premium reduction under the Health Insurance Act) during the year, according to the FOPH. Higher means more people get help with their premium. Each canton sets its own income limits and procedure, so the share reflects both income levels and how generous the cantonal system is. Apply to your canton’s office; some cantons pay automatically.

Premium subsidy per recipient

CHF 3'140 per year, Rank 7 of 26 (BAG KVSTAT T 4.08, 2025). Average premium subsidy paid per recipient per year in the canton (federal and cantonal money together), according to the FOPH. Higher means more support for each person who qualifies. It depends on the canton’s rules, premium level and who qualifies (e.g. recipients of supplementary benefits often get their full premium covered).

Premium subsidy as share of premium

62.3%, Rank 11 of 26 (BAG KVSTAT T 4.08, 2025). The average subsidy per recipient as a percentage of the canton’s mean premium per insured person, according to the FOPH: how much of a typical premium the subsidy covers. Higher means the subsidy covers more of the premium.

Electricity price

29.09 Rp./kWh, Rank 21 of 26 (ElCom, 2027). 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)

74.86 per 1,000 residents, Rank 23 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.

Violent offences (per 1,000)

8.2 per 1,000 residents, Rank 24 of 26 (BFS PKS, 2025). Police-registered violent offences per 1,000 residents (BFS Police Crime Statistics): homicide incl. attempts, serious and simple bodily harm, assault, robbery, extortion, threats, coercion, deprivation of liberty, sexual coercion, rape, violence against officials: an SLI selection of BFS offence lines, listed in the evidence drawer. Lower means fewer registered violent offences. Same caveats as total offences: reporting behaviour and commuter/visitor effects in city cantons.

Vacancy rate

0.89%, Rank 14 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.

New dwellings (per 1,000)

5.03 per 1,000 residents, Rank 13 of 26 (BFS Bau- und Wohnbaustatistik, 2024). Dwellings completed during the year per 1,000 residents (BFS construction statistics, 2024). This is housing supply (how much new housing a canton actually builds) while the vacancy rate shows how much of the existing stock stands empty. Higher means more is being built, which over time eases a tight market. Caveat: a single large development moves a small canton a lot, so read it together with the vacancy rate and rents rather than on its own.

Sunshine

1'993.3 hours per year, Rank 4 of 24 (MeteoSwiss, 2025). Average hours of sunshine per year, measured at the canton’s weather stations. Higher means sunnier.

Jobs

498'823 jobs, Rank 3 of 26 (BFS STATENT, 2024). Total jobs located in the canton (full- and part-time). A measure of the size of the local job market.

Unemployment rate

4.9%, Rank 25 of 26 (SECO amstat, 2026). Registered unemployment rate: people registered as unemployed at a regional employment centre (RAV) as a share of the labour force, latest reported month (SECO, monthly). Lower means fewer registered jobseekers. Caveat: this is the SECO registered rate, not the ILO unemployment rate: people out of work who don’t register at a RAV are not counted, so the ILO rate is typically higher.

Cross-border commuters (share of jobs)

9.02%, Rank 8 of 26 (BFS GGS/STATENT, 2024). Foreign cross-border commuters (G permit) working in the canton at the end of the year as a share of all jobs there (BFS cross-border commuter statistics GGS, Q4, divided by STATENT jobs of the same year). A context figure on how integrated a canton’s labour market is with France, Germany, Italy and Austria: the cross-border commuters hub shows countries of residence, sectors, ages, communes and the trend since 1996.

Median net income

CHF 52'999 per year, Rank 19 of 26 (ESTV dBSt, 2022). Median net income (Reineinkommen) per taxpayer unit and year from the federal direct-tax statistics, all filers (ESTV). The only official resident-household income measure defined identically in all 26 cantons. Caveats: a tax concept, not a salary, people taxed at source (most B-permit holders, cross-border commuters) are excluded; one unit = one jointly taxed household; published with a ~3-year lag. Not comparable to taxable income, which is about 10% lower.

Naturalisations (per 1,000 foreigners)

18 per 1,000 foreign residents, Rank 4 of 26 (BFS/SEM Einbürgerungsstatistik, 2025). Naturalisations per year per 1,000 foreign residents (all types; BFS/SEM). A context figure: it reflects cantonal procedures, fees and who lives there, not a "better/worse" scale.

Population growth

1%, Rank 8 of 26 (BFS Demografische Bilanz, 2025). Change of the permanent resident population over the year as a share of the 1 January population (BFS demographic balance). A context figure: growth reflects births, deaths, international and inter-cantonal migration, not a better/worse scale. The population & migration hub breaks it into its components.

Birth rate (per 1,000)

9.07 per 1,000 residents, Rank 4 of 26 (BFS BEVNAT, 2025). Live births per 1,000 residents (BFS BEVNAT births ÷ STATPOP resident population of the same year). A context figure that mostly reflects a canton’s age structure: the births & first-names hub adds sex, citizenship of child and mother, mothers’ age and the most popular names.

Net migration (per 1,000)

7.33‰, Rank 13 of 26 (BFS Demografische Bilanz, 2025). 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

34.25%, Rank 3 of 26 (BFS STATPOP, 2025). Share of residents who are foreign nationals (not Swiss citizens). A higher value means a more international population.

Fiscal balance per capita

−CHF 480 per person, Rank 19 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.

Cantonal net debt per capita

−CHF 2'519 per person, Rank 21 of 26 (EFV Finanzstatistik, 2024). Net debt of the cantonal government per resident (liabilities minus financial assets; negative = net assets), official EFV financial statistics, latest audited year. A context figure: cantons split tasks with their communes differently, so debt levels are partly structural, the public-finance hub shows the consolidated view.

Hospital beds (per 1,000)

4.23 per 1,000 residents, Rank 11 of 21 (BFS Krankenhausstatistik, 2024). Hospital beds available per 1,000 residents. Higher means more hospital capacity in the canton.

Cars per 1,000 residents

498.72 per 1,000 residents, Rank 23 of 26 (BFS/ASTRA IVZ, 2024). Registered passenger cars per 1,000 residents (ASTRA vehicle register via BFS, stock on 30 September; STATPOP population of the same year). A context figure: motorisation follows topography, public-transport supply and urban/rural structure, not quality of life.

Electric share of car fleet

4.53%, Rank 3 of 26 (BFS/ASTRA IVZ, 2024). Share of the registered passenger-car fleet that is fully electric (stock on 30 September, ASTRA register via BFS). Plug-in hybrids are counted separately on the mobility hub.

Electric share of new cars

16.43%, Rank 20 of 26 (BFS/ASTRA IVZ, 2024). Share of newly registered passenger cars that are fully electric (BFS cube of new registrations from the ASTRA vehicle register, latest year). A context figure on the pace of electrification: the vehicles & mobility hub adds the fleet, plug-in hybrids, motorbikes, goods vehicles, communes and makes.

Motorbikes per 1,000 residents

77.23 per 1,000 residents, Rank 23 of 26 (BFS/ASTRA IVZ, 2024). Registered motorbikes (BFS group "Motorräder": motorcycles, scooters, mopeds incl. fast e-bikes with a plate) per 1,000 residents, stock on 30 September. Context figure, Ticino and the mountain cantons traditionally lead.

Goods vehicles per 1,000 residents

45.97 per 1,000 residents, Rank 22 of 26 (BFS/ASTRA IVZ, 2024). Registered goods-transport vehicles (vans and lorries, BFS group "Sachentransportfahrzeuge") per 1,000 residents, stock on 30 September. A context figure on the local economy’s logistics footprint.

Gigabit broadband availability

71.6%, Rank 17 of 26 (BAKOM Breitbandatlas, 2026). Share of buildings in the canton where an internet connection of at least 1 Gbit/s download is available (BAKOM broadband atlas, LINDAS cube, building-weighted from all communes; latest published period). Availability, not subscriptions. The infrastructure hub adds 100 Mbit/s, fibre, upload speeds and the commune map.

Public-transport accessibility (ARE index)

5'155.2, Rank 4 of 26 (ARE Erreichbarkeit, 2017). Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) accessibility index by public transport: how many residents and jobs can be reached from a place, weighted by travel time (national passenger transport model NPVM 2017, EWAP variant). Canton value = population-weighted mean of its communes. A context figure: higher means denser reach, typical of city cantons; it says nothing about quality of life. Road accessibility and the commune values are on the infrastructure hub.

Solar power per resident

861.5, Rank 20 of 26 (BFE Pronovo register, 2026). Installed photovoltaic capacity in watts per resident: every PV plant in the federal electricity-production register (BFE/Pronovo, updated daily) located to its commune, cumulative up to the retrieval date, divided by the STATPOP population. Higher means more solar per person. Caveat: new plants are registered with a lag, so the last 12–18 months are under-counted.

Population in Energiestadt communes

59.1%, Rank 13 of 26 (BFE Energiestadt, 2025). Share of the canton’s residents living in a commune holding the federal "Energiestadt" label (EnergieSchweiz programme of the Federal Office of Energy: audited municipal energy and climate policy; Gold = highest level). Higher means more residents covered by an audited municipal energy policy: a label, not a measured emission outcome.

Organic farmland share

13.25%, Rank 21 of 26 (BFS Landwirtschaftsstatistik, 2025). Share of the utilised agricultural area farmed organically (BFS agricultural structure survey, yearly). Higher means a larger organic share. Mountain cantons such as Graubünden lead because extensive grassland converts easily; it is a farming-structure figure, not a food-consumption one.

Municipal waste per resident

266.05, Rank 9 of 16 (BFS Cercle Indicateurs, 2023). Non-separated municipal waste (incinerated) in kilograms per resident and year, from the BFS Cercle Indicateurs sustainability monitoring (indicator 4.1). Only the cantons participating in the Cercle Indicateurs are covered, the ranking states "of n". Lower means less residual waste per person.

Separately collected waste share

41.31%, Rank 2 of 16 (BFS Cercle Indicateurs, 2023). Share of municipal waste collected separately for recycling (BFS Cercle Indicateurs indicator 4.2), participating cantons only. Higher means more recycling collection. Definitions differ from Eurostat’s national recycling rate shown on the sustainability hub.

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