Survey shows Swiss value health over wealth

Being healthy and having good social relationships are more important to people in Switzerland than money and possessions. Keystone/Gian Ehrenzeller

Switzerland’s status as one of the world’s richest countries does not mean money comes first for most of its people, according to the results of a major survey conducted for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).

With Christmas fast approaching, wish lists are ubiquitous and usually centred on gifts. Yet when it comes to “wealth”, the Swiss draw up a very different kind of list — one that cannot be bought in stores.

The survey

The results of “How are you Switzerland?” are based on a representative survey of 55,006 Swiss residents and Swiss Abroad. A total of 1,196 Swiss citizens living abroad took part in the survey.

It was conducted by the research institute gfs.bern from May 12 to June 15, 2025, on behalf of the SBC. This is the third time in three years that this survey has been carried out. Compared to the versions of previous years, some of the questions were new or different, but most were identical.

In all, 3,000 respondents were selected from an online panel by gfs.bern in order to obtain a representative sample of the Swiss population (16 years and older). The sample was stratified according to language regions and proportioned according to age and gender.

The other respondents completed the questionnaire online. They were invited to do so via the SBC channels but decided for themselves whether they wanted to participate. This survey method is not representative. Representativeness is achieved by means of specific data weighting and data validation procedures.

The sampling error is +/- 1.8% at 50:50 and 95% probability.

The issue of wealth was a key question in the recent nationwide opinion poll “How are you, Switzerland?”, carried out by the gfs.bern research institute on behalf of the SBC, Swissinfo’s parent company. A total of 55,000 people participated.

How are the Swiss Abroad doing? The SBC opinion poll shows that satisfaction is high but there is criticism regarding politics and the welfare state:

Among nine possible aspects of wealth, an overwhelming 99% of respondents ranked “good health” as the most important, followed closely by “freedom” (98%) and “relationships” (96%).

By contrast, material factors were given far less weight: 78% cited money as important, 52% pointed to property, and just 32% selected consumer goods such as clothing or cars.

Wealth is no guarantee of happiness

Such priorities may appear unexpected in a country as wealthy as Switzerland, but they may reflect the fact that prosperity is already taken for granted and many people no longer feel preoccupied with money or material possessions.

Several indications support this idea in the poll. Two-thirds of respondents say they are fairly relaxed about their own financial situation, despite the constant rise in housing or health insurance costs.

And when asked how much they focus on acquiring as much financial wealth as possible, only 26% of respondents say, “very strongly” or “fairly strongly”. Meanwhile, 71% say material wealth is not a priority.

Another survey result highlights how little influence respondents believe material possessions have on individual well-being: 93% agree that while wealth provides financial security, it is no guarantee of a carefree life.

Younger people are more likely to aspire to wealth

Respondents’ critical view of wealth is also reflected in questions concerning its distribution in Swiss society. Four out of five say the wealth gap between the rich and the poor is too wide. And 87% agree that owning a home is no longer affordable for most young people.

But even among those from affluent backgrounds, many younger people do not see wealth as a given. The 16–39 age group feels more financially pressured than others and is correspondingly more focused on accumulating financial wealth.

What is your opinion? Join the debate:

Adapted from German by Claire Micallef/sb