Swiss population: 5 important developments
Record-low birth rate, boom cantons, immigration: This is how the Swiss population developed in 2024
Switzerland has been counting nine million people since last year. Immigration remains high while the births are falling. An overview in five points.
The constant resident population of Switzerland continued to grow in 2024. The pace was no longer the same as in the previous year when a record was recorded. The birth number was recorded for this, while deaths remained stable. These are the most important results from the latest population statistics of the Federal Statistics Office (BFS), which contains the provisional values for 2024.
Immigration remains high
On the last day of the year, Switzerland counted 9,048,905 inhabitants. That is an increase of around 86,600 people or one percent. The nine million limit was exceeded in the second quarter of 2024.
Number of children per woman drops to low value
Despite population growth, the negative trend continues in the births. Around 78,000 children were born in 2024, 2.5 percent less than in the previous year. That is the third decline in a row. However, it is not quite as big as in the previous year (minus 2.8 percent).
The average number of children per woman fell from 1.33 in 2023 to 1.28 in 2024. The historical low value from 2023 was therefore also undercut, whereby the number for 2024 is still temporary.
Fewer gender changes
Since January 1, 2022, it has been possible to have the information on gender and first names in the civil status register changed. Last year there were 450 such changes, whereby there were almost the same many changes from man to woman as the other way around. In 2022 there were 1177 such changes, in 2023 there were 713.
