While international migration has increased since 2020, relocations within Switzerland have fallen sharply. According to the FSO, around 695,000 people moved within Switzerland in 2023. This compares to 769,000 in 2020.
Almost three-quarters of people who moved in 2023 stayed in the same canton. Some 37% moved within the same municipality and 35% moved to another municipality in the same canton. In addition, 16% moved to another canton and 12% moved abroad, according to the FSO.
The highest rate of population relocation was in cantons Basel City (11.9%) and Neuchâtel (10.7%). In contrast, it was lowest in cantons Appenzell Inner Rhodes (6.9%) and Uri (7.3%).
Of the 20 largest Swiss cities, St Gallen (14.1%) and Bern (13.1%) recorded the highest relocation rates, while Vernier in Geneva (8.4%) and Bellinzona (8.7%) had the lowest. With a rate of 10% the population of urban municipalities was more inclined to move than that of rural municipalities (7.8%).
On average, the moving distance for a change of residence within Switzerland was 13.5 kilometres. According to the FSO, in 40% of cases the move took place within a radius of less than two kilometres.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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