Data published this week by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show a decline in the number of vacant homes, both to buy and rent in Switzerland.
On 1 June 2024, there were 51,974 empty homes in Switzerland, representing 1.08% of the country’s total housing stock. The number was down by 2,791 (-5.1%) compared to the number a year earlier.
The drop in vacant homes follows three years of declines. In 2020, there were 78,832 vacant homes across the country, 52% more than there were in June 2024. In 2020, the vacancy rate was 1.72%. The last time the rate was as low as 2024 (1.08%) was in 2014 when it was 1.07%.
The cantons of Zug (0.39%), Obwalden (0.44%) and Geneva (0.46%) had the lowest vacancy rates in 2024. Cantons with the highest rates were Ticino (2.08%), Solothurn (2.37%) and Jura (2.98%). The cantons of Valais (1.43%), Vaud (0.96%), Basel (0.77%) and Zurich (0.56%) were closer to the average.
However, Cantonal averages hide low municipal vacancy rates. Many municipalities have no vacancies, while in others the rate is more than 5% – see map here.
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