Europe · Western Europe
Switzerland Demographics
Switzerland’s permanent resident population reached 9.12 million in 2025. Growth remains migration-led, fertility fell to 1.28 children per woman, and people aged 65 or over now slightly outnumber those under 20.
Primary sources: Swiss Federal Statistical Office STATPOP, BEVNAT and Population Scenarios datasets.
Last updated: July 21, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Migration Carries Most of the Annual Increase
Switzerland recorded 212,578 international immigrants and 129,786 emigrants in 2024, producing net international migration of 82,792. Natural increase added 6,314 people in the same year. The migration balance was 13.1 times the natural increase.
The 2025 provisional release reports lower net migration than in 2024, while the permanent resident population still rose by 73,259. A complete 2025 immigration-and-emigration flow table is not used here because the selected official series was not yet available in the same final form.
| Measure | Count | Year | Measure Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International immigration | 212,578 | 2024 | Observed annual inflow, permanent resident population | FSO STATPOP |
| International emigration | 129,786 | 2024 | Observed annual outflow, permanent resident population | FSO STATPOP |
| Net international migration | +82,792 | 2024 | Derived: immigration minus emigration | FSO STATPOP |
| Natural increase | +6,314 | 2024 | Derived: live births minus deaths | FSO BEVNAT |
| Total population change | +88,771 | 2024 | Derived from year-end permanent resident totals | FSO STATPOP |
Migration and Natural Change in 2024
International flows and natural population change, people
Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP and BEVNAT. Net migration and natural increase are derived from published components.
Citizenship is a different measure: the 2.53 million foreign nationals recorded in 2025 are residents classified by citizenship. The count is not an annual immigration flow and is not the same as the foreign-born population. Cross-border commuters who live outside Switzerland are excluded from the permanent resident population.
How Migration Changes the Total
- Net international migration exceeded natural increase by 76,478 people in 2024.
- Immigration was 82,792 higher than emigration, while births were 6,314 higher than deaths.
Births Still Exceed Deaths, but the Margin Is Narrow
Live births remained above deaths in both 2024 and 2025, but the resulting natural increase stayed close to 6,300 people. The total fertility rate moved from 1.29 children per woman in 2024 to 1.28 in 2025.
| Year | Live Births | Deaths | Natural Change | Total Fertility Rate | Data Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 78,256 | 71,942 | +6,314 | 1.29 | Final annual statistics |
| 2025 | 78,153 | 71,904 | +6,249 | 1.28 | Provisional annual statistics |
Natural change is calculated as live births minus deaths. It does not include immigration, emigration or statistical adjustments in the population balance.
The Permanent Resident Population Added 1.92 Million Since 2000
The year-end permanent resident population rose from 6.19 million in 1970 to 9.12 million in 2025, an increase of 47.3%. The gain since 2000 accounts for 1.92 million of that rise.
Permanent Resident Population, 1970–2025
Selected year-end observations
Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office historical population series. The 2025 value is provisional.
| Year | Population | Measure Type | Data Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6,193,064 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO historical population series |
| 1980 | 6,335,243 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO historical population series |
| 1990 | 6,750,693 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO historical population series |
| 2000 | 7,204,055 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO historical population series |
| 2010 | 7,870,134 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO STATPOP |
| 2020 | 8,670,300 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO STATPOP |
| 2023 | 8,962,258 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO STATPOP |
| 2024 | 9,051,029 | Year-end permanent resident population | Observed | FSO STATPOP |
| 2025 | 9,124,288 | Year-end permanent resident population | Provisional | FSO STATPOP |
Older Residents Now Slightly Outnumber People Under 20
At the end of 2025, 1,810,973 residents were aged 65 or over, compared with 1,802,049 residents under 20. The difference was 8,924 people. Both groups round to 19.8% of the population, so the underlying counts are needed to see the crossover.
| Age Group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–19 | 1,802,049 | 19.8% | 2025 | FSO STATPOP, provisional |
| 20–64 | 5,511,266 | 60.4% | 2025 | FSO STATPOP, provisional |
| 65–79 | 1,267,622 | 13.9% | 2025 | FSO STATPOP, provisional |
| 80+ | 543,351 | 6.0% | 2025 | Derived residual from FSO broad age counts |
Broad Age Structure in 2025
Permanent resident population by broad age group
Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, provisional 2025 broad age counts. This is not a full population pyramid.
Where the Age Balance Shifts
- Residents aged 65 or over exceeded residents under 20 for the first time in 2025.
- The 80+ population accounted for 543,351 residents, or 6.0% of the total.
- The 20–64 group contained 5,511,266 people, equal to 60.4% of the population.
The 2055 Reference Scenario Adds Older Residents Faster
The FSO reference scenario places Switzerland’s population at 10.47 million in 2055, compared with 9.05 million in 2024. Rounded age-group values show the 65+ population rising from 1.8 million to 2.7 million, while the 20–64 population rises from 5.5 million to 5.9 million.
On these rounded values, the ratio falls to about 2.2 people aged 20–64 for each person aged 65 or over. The reference scenario therefore combines further population growth with an older age distribution. It remains conditional on future fertility, mortality and migration assumptions.
| Year | Status | Total Population | Aged 0–19 | Aged 20–64 | Aged 65+ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Observed baseline | 9.05 million | 1.8 million | 5.5 million | 1.8 million | FSO 2025–2055 population scenarios release |
| 2055 | Reference scenario | 10.47 million | 1.9 million | 5.9 million | 2.7 million | FSO 2025–2055 population scenarios |
Observed and Projected Broad Age Structure
Population in millions, 2024 observed baseline and 2055 reference scenario
Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Population Scenarios for Switzerland and the Cantons 2025–2055. Age-group values are rounded as published.
Limits of the Projection
- The reference scenario adds 1.42 million residents between 2024 and 2055.
- Using the rounded age-group values, 900,000 of the increase occurs in the 65+ population.
- Population projections are scenario-based estimates, not guaranteed predictions.
Data Sources and Methodology
The page uses Swiss Federal Statistical Office data selected by measure. The 2025 population, citizenship and broad age counts are provisional year-end values. The migration flow table uses the latest complete observed annual flow series selected for this profile, which is 2024. Vital statistics are final for 2024 and provisional for 2025.
Natural change is derived as live births minus deaths. Net migration is derived as immigration minus emigration. Population growth rates and shares are calculated from published counts and rounded to one decimal where shown. Historical values are year-end permanent resident counts; the projection section is kept separate from observed data.
| Source | Release or Data Year | Used For | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP current population | 2025 provisional | Population total, annual change, citizenship, sex and broad age counts | Year-end permanent resident population |
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP migration | 2024 | International immigration, emigration and net migration | Observed annual flows for the permanent resident population |
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, BEVNAT | 2024 final; 2025 provisional | Live births, deaths, natural change and total fertility rate | Annual vital statistics and period fertility rate |
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, historical population series | 1970–2025 | Selected historical population observations | Year-end permanent resident population; 2025 provisional |
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, life tables | 2024 | Life expectancy at birth by sex | Annual life-table estimate |
| Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Population Scenarios 2025–2055 | 2025 release | 2055 population and broad age structure | Reference-scenario projection |
Methodological Safety Note: The 2025 total is a provisional year-end permanent resident count and should not be treated as identical to a mid-year model estimate. The 27.7% foreign-national share is citizenship-based, not a foreign-born share. Residents working in Switzerland but living abroad are not included in the permanent resident population. Broad age groups do not support a full population pyramid. The 2055 figures depend on scenario assumptions and must remain separate from observed population values.
Definitions Behind the Figures
Is the 2025 population figure final?
No. The 9,124,288 total is the FSO provisional permanent resident population at the end of 2025.
Why does the migration table use 2024?
The profile uses the latest complete observed immigration-and-emigration flow table selected from STATPOP. The 2025 release confirms a lower migration balance but is not used to reconstruct missing flow components.
Does a 27.7% foreign-national share mean that 27.7% arrived recently?
No. It measures current citizenship among permanent residents. It does not show year of arrival, place of birth or migration generation.
Will Switzerland have exactly 10.47 million residents in 2055?
No. The value belongs to the FSO reference scenario and changes if future fertility, mortality or migration differs from the scenario assumptions.