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Living in Locarno

Locarno is in Switzerland; its population was 16,374 at the end of 2024. At the end of 2024, the foreign population was 5,859.

Higher unemployment than 71% of Swiss cities that publish it and dirtier air than 76% of Swiss cities that publish it.

Which Switzerland-wide rules apply when you move to Locarno?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in SwitzerlandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Locarno.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Locarno yet. Switzerland has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Locarno?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO1

Unemployment across cities in SwitzerlandUnemployment in Locarno is 3.3%. Of 175 cities with data, 52 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Switzerland per band12 cities: 0% to under 1%120–151 cities: 1% to under 2%511–252 cities: 2% to under 3%522–338 cities: 3% to under 4%383–4Locarno 3.3%15 cities: 4% to under 5%154–52 cities: 5% to under 6%25–62 cities: 6% to under 7%26–71 city: 8% to under 9%18–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–101 city: 11% to under 12%111–12

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)3,530 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch12Official
Unemployment rate3.3 %country median 2.3%31 Dec 2022Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO1Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Locarno. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

arbeit.swiss — Public employment service

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs / public employment service

Job SearchCareer Counselling
Register
Open the Switzerland service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Locarno. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport2 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights4Official
Nearest airportLUG3 Aug 2026OurAirports5Official
Distance to nearest airport20 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports5Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Locarno. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Cantonal integration programmes — Newcomer Adaptation

SEM and cantons

For migrants, refugees.

German, French, ItalianIn Person
Open official information

fide language promotion system — State Language Course

State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)

For adult migrants.

German, French, ItalianIn Person, Online
Open official information
Open the full Switzerland section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Locarno.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Locarno?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 10 µg/m³ (2021) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int2

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Locarno average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND28°1°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Locarno average monthly precipitation, mm05511016522070659516619018716321220321020889JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Locarno average monthly sunshine, hours070140210280134153202195210238268249198152113119JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Locarno annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit52510.0PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in SwitzerlandAnnual PM2.5 in Locarno is 10.0 µg/m³. Of 42 cities with data, 11 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Switzerland per band1 city: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³12–33 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³36–78 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³87–811 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³118–99 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³99–108 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³810–11Locarno 10.01 city: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³116–171 city: 17 µg/m³ to under 18 µg/m³117–18

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean10 µg/m³country median 8.831 Dec 2021cdn.who.int2Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 7.3 · Feb 9.4 · Mar 14 · Apr 17.5 · May 21.1 · Jun 25.1 · Jul 27.5 · Aug 26.9 · Sep 22.1 · Oct 16.7 · Nov 11.2 · Dec 7.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.2 · Feb 2 · Mar 5.4 · Apr 8.5 · May 12.2 · Jun 15.9 · Jul 17.8 · Aug 17.5 · Sep 14 · Oct 9.9 · Nov 5.4 · Dec 2 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official
Average temperature by monthJan 3.9 · Feb 5.2 · Mar 9.3 · Apr 12.6 · May 16.4 · Jun 20.2 · Jul 22.3 · Aug 21.8 · Sep 17.6 · Oct 12.9 · Nov 7.9 · Dec 4.4 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 69.6 · Feb 64.5 · Mar 94.9 · Apr 166.3 · May 189.6 · Jun 186.8 · Jul 162.9 · Aug 211.6 · Sep 203.1 · Oct 209.5 · Nov 207.7 · Dec 88.6 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 133.6 · Feb 153 · Mar 201.7 · Apr 194.5 · May 209.9 · Jun 237.7 · Jul 267.7 · Aug 248.8 · Sep 198.1 · Oct 151.7 · Nov 112.5 · Dec 118.6 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official

Cities of a similar size in Switzerland

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Switzerland cities
Arbon16,354 residentsSchwyz16,446 residentsEinsiedeln16,532 residentsLyss16,558 residentsPratteln16,576 residentsSteffisburg16,581 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Locarno?

The published population was 16,374 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source10

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Locarno residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport64.2%Foreign residents35.8%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents455.1 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS9Official
City area18.97 km²2015Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2015, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km².3Official
Foreign Nonpermanent Resident Population Total164 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Foreign residents5,859 people31 Dec 2024Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.7Official
Nonpermanent Resident Population Total164 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Population density863.2 people/km²31 Dec 2024Reproducible density from BFS STATPOP permanent population at 31.12.2024 divided by the exact official BFS municipality area denominator (2013-2018; FJ=2015; area observed_at=2015).3Official
Population16,374 people31 Dec 2024Switzerland official denominator source10Official
Swiss Nonpermanent Resident Population Total0 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Swiss Permanent Resident Population Total10,515 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official

International community in Locarno

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total16,463100.0%
In Switzerland9,05355.0%
Abroad7,41045.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source8

Country of birth

Non-permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total205100.0%
Abroad19896.6%
In Switzerland73.4%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source8

Citizenship

Non-permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Citizenship - total205100.0%
Italy7536.6%
Afghanistan157.3%
Somalia136.3%
Ukraine125.9%
Romania94.4%
Türkiye94.4%
Russia73.4%
Morocco62.9%
Eritrea62.9%
Show 30 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Spain52.4%
Portugal42.0%
North Macedonia42.0%
Bulgaria31.5%
Algeria31.5%
Iran31.5%
Germany21.0%
Ethiopia21.0%
Congo (Kinshasa)21.0%
Libya21.0%
Brazil21.0%
India21.0%
Iraq21.0%
France10.5%
Greece10.5%
Netherlands10.5%
Austria10.5%
Poland10.5%
Sweden10.5%
Slovenia10.5%
Gambia10.5%
Guinea10.5%
Cameroon10.5%
Nigeria10.5%
Sudan10.5%
Chile10.5%
Colombia10.5%
United States10.5%
Sri Lanka10.5%
Georgia10.5%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source8

Is Locarno a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker59%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–69%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–74%
Student58%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 46–70%
Family61%strong on family, weak on safety · range 49–73%
Retirement51%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 39–63%
Foreign residents5,859 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.
Population16,374 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Switzerland official denominator source
Median gross salary (regional)3,530 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch
Unemployment rate3.3 %31 Dec 2022Official source · Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO
PM2.5 — annual mean10 µg/m³31 Dec 2021Official source · cdn.who.int
Cars per 1,000 residents455.1 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Official source · Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Locarno under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Locarno?

The published population was 16,374 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Locarno?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 10 µg/m³ (2021) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int.

What is the unemployment rate in Locarno?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO.

What is the typical salary around Locarno?

The median gross salary is 3,530 EUR/month. Source: www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch.

How many foreign residents live in Locarno?

5,859 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024..

Is Locarno a good place to live?

Locarno may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Place of birth - total live in Locarno?

The official country of birth distribution records 16,463 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2025-12-31. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Locarno, Switzerland: salary, jobs, climate [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/5113-locarno/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_locarno-switzerland-salary-jobs-climate_3c6a93cb9bbe,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Locarno, Switzerland: salary, jobs, climate},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/5113-locarno/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Locarno, Switzerland: salary, jobs, climate](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/5113-locarno/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO dam-api.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-04
  2. cdn.who.int cdn.who.int · checked 2026-08-26
  3. Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2015, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km². disseminate.stats.swiss · checked 2026-07-15
  4. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  5. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  6. Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 2024 pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-18
  7. Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024. pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2024-12-31
  8. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-30
  9. Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-08
  10. Switzerland official denominator source pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-14
Show 2 more sources
  1. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-02
  2. www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-27

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