Data on homelessness and housing exclusion 2026: Switzerland

Summary of key data and information

	Summary of key data and information
Official statistical definition of homelessness (Table 1)	There is no official statistical definition of homelessness in Switzerland.
Latest national estimates of homelessness (Table 2, Table 3)	3 810 individuals, representing 0.04% of the total population (2021)
	Point-in-time count, based on the Homelessness in Switzerland Report
	ETHOS Light groups included	Included: ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions ETHOS Light 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing)
	Notes: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.
Legal framework to collect data on homelessness (Table 4)	There is no legal obligation to collect data on homelessness in Switzerland.
Homelessness Strategy (Table 5)	Switzerland does not have a national homelessness strategy.
Approaches to collect data on homelessness (Table 6)	Homelessness in Switzerland Report: Communes completed a questionnaire on the state of homelessness in the area of the commune (Table 6.1).

Table 1. Official statistical definition of homelessness

Statistical definition

Homelessness

There is no official statistical definition of homelessness in Switzerland. However, the following definition was used for questionnaires sent to communes for the Homelessness in Switzerland Report: Homelessness (or the threat of losing one’s home) affects people who: live on the street, in public spaces or in the countryside have no fixed abode and move between different shelters (e.g. emergency shelters) live in accommodation where their stay is temporary (e.g. homeless shelters, women’s and men’s shelters, emergency shelters) stay longer than necessary in an institution (child and youth protection facilities, prisons, clinics, etc.) because they cannot find a follow-up solution have to stay with friends and acquaintances involuntarily live in unsafe, unsuitable living conditions.

Table 2. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by living situation

Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology

Year	Headline estimate of homelessness (Individuals)	% of total population	ETHOS Light 1 People living rough	ETHOS Light 2 People in emergency accommodation	ETHOS Light 3 People in accommodation for the homeless	ETHOS Light 4 People living in institutions	ETHOS Light 5 People living in unconventional dwellings	ETHOS Light 6 People staying with family/friends
2021	3 810	0.04%	Included in headline estimate but not specified	Included in headline estimate but not specified	Included in headline estimate but not specified	Included in headline estimate but not specified	Included in headline estimate but not specified	Included in headline estimate but not specified
Metadata: Type of count: Point-in-time Included in headline estimate: Children: Unknown Temporary accommodation for: Asylum seekers: Unknown Refugees: Unknown Victims/survivors of domestic violence: Unknown

Note: Data are extrapolated from a sample of municipalities. Municipalities were not explicitly asked about the inclusion of children or temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, refugees and/or victims of domestic violence. Therefore, it is unclear whether they are included in the headline estimate.

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Federal Housing Office (BWO), 2022, Homelessness in Switzerland Report.

Table 3. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by sub-group and living situation

Data not available.

Table 4. Legal framework to collect data on homelessness

	Legal framework
Law that governs data collection on homelessness	None.
Legal obligations	None.

Table 5. Homelessness strategy

	Homelessness strategies in place
National Homelessness Strategy	None.
Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist	None.

Table 6. Approaches to collect data on homelessness

6.1. Homelessness in Switzerland Report
Description Representatives from each municipality were required to fill out an online questionnaire on the extent of homelessness. Out of 2 172 municipalities, 618 took part in the survey, which corresponds to a response rate of 28%. The report extrapolated the total number of people experiencing homelessness in Switzerland based on the municipalities that responded to the survey. The School of Social Work Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) was contracted to perform the research.
Type of count generated Point-in-time	Methods Service‑based method; Administrative data Note: collection methods may differ across municipalities.
Lead authority(ies) Federal Housing Office (BWO)	Source(s) of information Representatives from each commune
Scope National level	Depth of data Simple enumeration
Frequency Irregular
ETHOS Light groups included: ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions ETHOS Light 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing) Note: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.
Notes and sources Publication

Please refer to the OECD Affordable Housing Database, indicator HC3.1.Population experiencing homelessness, https://www.oecd.org/content/oecd/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housing-database.html.

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