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Living in Neuchâtel

In Neuchâtel, unemployment is 3.5% (2022).

Neuchâtel is a city in Switzerland, with a population of 45,309 at the end of 2024. The resident counts list 30,384 Swiss permanent residents and 483 non-permanent residents at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-10-1024 sources

Population45,309people31 Dec 2024Official source · Switzerland official denominator source
Median gross salary (region)7,310EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch
Average net rent14.38EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2024Regional figureOfficial source · Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton)
Unemployment rate3.5%country median 2.3% — 52% aboveOfficial source · Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO
Recorded crime11,666incidents per 100,000country median 11,440 — 2% aboveOfficial source · Rapport 2025 de la statistique policière de la criminalité neuchâteloise
PM2.5, annual mean9.4µg/m³country median 8.8 — 7% aboveOfficial source · cdn.who.int

Higher unemployment than 76% of Swiss cities that publish it and dirtier air than 65% of Swiss cities that publish it.

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

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 Neuchâtel.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Neuchâtel recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€71
Mobile plan, 10 GB€56
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited70.68 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Swisscom blue Internet S12Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB56.03 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Salt Swiss 10GB8Official · national market
Average net rent (nettokalt)14.38 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2024Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton)4Official · regional context

Is Neuchâtel 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 worker61%strong on work, weak on safety · range 51–71%
Skilled employee66%strong on work, weak on education · range 56–76%
Student37%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 26–48%
Family45%strong on family, weak on education · range 35–55%
Retirement46%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 35–57%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Neuchâtel?

The unemployment rate is 3.5 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO1

Unemployment across cities in SwitzerlandUnemployment in Neuchâtel is 3.5%. Of 176 cities with data, 52 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)7,310 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch15Official
Unemployment rate3.5 %country median 2.3%31 Dec 2022Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO1Official

What does a salary buy in Neuchâtel?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €7,310 (pxweb.bfs.admin.ch, 2024-12-31).
Left over each month€5,124of €6,113 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€6,113
Rent, 60 m²€14.38/m² · official · Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton) · 2024-12-31− €863
Internet€71 · official · Swisscom blue Internet S · 2026-09-30− €71
Mobile plan€56 · official · Salt Swiss 10GB · 2026-09-30− €56
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€5,124
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Neuchâtel Salary needed to live in Neuchâtel

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Neuchâtel. 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 Neuchâtel. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Neuchâtel?

Police recorded about 11,666 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Rapport 2025 de la statistique policière de la criminalité neuchâteloise7

Recorded crime across major citiesNeuchâtel highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Neuchâtel highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Solothurn25,779
Bern20,196
Interlaken18,896
Olten15,369
Kloten13,097
St. Gallen9,783
Winterthur7,988
Muri bei Bern5,389
Wetzikon (ZH)4,048
Küsnacht (ZH)3,718
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents11,666 incidents per 100,000country median 11,44031 Dec 2025Rapport 2025 de la statistique policière de la criminalité neuchâteloise7Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Nearest airportVIP3 Aug 2026OurAirports5Official
Distance to nearest airport17 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports5Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Neuchâtel. 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 Neuchâtel.

Find courses near Neuchâtel

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Neuchâtel?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.4 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
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

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 Neuchâtel is 9.4 µg/m³. Of 43 cities with data, 12 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean9.4 µg/m³country median 8.831 Dec 2021cdn.who.int2Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 3.9 · Feb 5.6 · Mar 10.6 · Apr 15 · May 18.9 · Jun 22.9 · Jul 25.3 · Aug 24.7 · Sep 19.8 · Oct 14.1 · Nov 8.1 · Dec 4.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -0.3 · Feb -0.1 · Mar 2.9 · Apr 6 · May 9.9 · Jun 13.5 · Jul 15.4 · Aug 15.2 · Sep 11.7 · Oct 8 · Nov 3.5 · Dec 0.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average temperature by monthJan 1.8 · Feb 2.6 · Mar 6.5 · Apr 10.3 · May 14.2 · Jun 18 · Jul 20.1 · Aug 19.6 · Sep 15.5 · Oct 10.8 · Nov 5.8 · Dec 2.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 69.4 · Feb 57.8 · Mar 62.6 · Apr 67.4 · May 86.9 · Jun 86.7 · Jul 91.6 · Aug 99.4 · Sep 77.4 · Oct 87.6 · Nov 76.3 · Dec 92.5 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 52.5 · Feb 92.4 · Mar 157 · Apr 187.8 · May 207.7 · Jun 231.7 · Jul 254 · Aug 233.9 · Sep 178.6 · Oct 107.7 · Nov 56.2 · Dec 40.1 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official

Similar climate. In Switzerland: Geneva ±1.1 °C. Elsewhere: Werl (Germany) ±1.0 °C, Bremerhaven (Germany) ±1.0 °C, Berlin (Germany) ±1.1 °C, Cottbus (Germany) ±1.2 °C, Hoyerswerda (Germany) ±1.3 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Neuchâtel?

The published population was 45,309 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source13

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents463.3 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS11Official
City area30.07 km²2020Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A5 (2020-2025), FJ=2020, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km².3Official
Foreign non-permanent residents483 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Foreign residents14,925 people31 Dec 2024Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.9Official
Non-permanent residents483 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Population density1,507 people/km²31 Dec 2024Reproducible density from BFS STATPOP permanent population at 31.12.2024 divided by the exact official BFS municipality area denominator (2020-2025; FJ=2020; area observed_at=2020).3Official
Population45,309 people31 Dec 2024Switzerland official denominator source13Official
Swiss non-permanent residents0 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official
Swiss permanent residents30,384 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20246Official

International community in Neuchâtel

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 - total45,466100.0%
In Switzerland26,71758.8%
Abroad18,74941.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Country of birth

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total424100.0%
Abroad41798.3%
In Switzerland71.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Citizenship

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Citizenship - total424100.0%
France9923.3%
Germany5813.7%
Canada327.5%
Italy307.1%
Portugal255.9%
China204.7%
United States153.5%
Afghanistan143.3%
Spain133.1%
Show 46 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Tunisia102.4%
Eritrea81.9%
Romania61.4%
United Kingdom51.2%
Netherlands51.2%
Ukraine51.2%
Colombia51.2%
Syria51.2%
Congo (Kinshasa)40.9%
Brazil40.9%
Iran40.9%
No indication30.7%
Belgium30.7%
Poland30.7%
Türkiye30.7%
Algeria30.7%
Côte d'Ivoire30.7%
Greece20.5%
Sweden20.5%
Serbia20.5%
Croatia20.5%
Russia20.5%
Ethiopia20.5%
Angola20.5%
Morocco20.5%
Nigeria20.5%
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)20.5%
Bulgaria10.2%
Ireland10.2%
Norway10.2%
Slovakia10.2%
Kosovo10.2%
Benin10.2%
Burkina Faso10.2%
Sudan10.2%
Chad10.2%
Egypt10.2%
Chile10.2%
Dominican Republic10.2%
Paraguay10.2%
Mongolia10.2%
Nepal10.2%
Pakistan10.2%
Thailand10.2%
Armenia10.2%
Kazakhstan10.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Alternatives for people set on Neuchâtel

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Le Locle as a Neuchâtel alternative in the same region

15 km away, better on 3 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 6,525 Le Locle vs 11,666 Neuchâtel−44%
  • Residents: 10,907 Le Locle vs 45,309 Neuchâtel−76%
  • Nearest airport: 27.0 km Le Locle vs 17.0 km Neuchâtel+59%
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.0 µg/m³ Le Locle vs 9.4 µg/m³ Neuchâtel−26%
  • Unemployment: 3.2% Le Locle vs 3.5% Neuchâtel−9%
  • Rent: €14.38/m² Le Locle vs €14.38/m² Neuchâtelsame level
  • Median gross pay, region: €7,310 Le Locle vs €7,310 Neuchâtelsame level
Full comparisonMore about Le Locle

Luzern as a Neuchâtel alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 104 km, better on 2 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 1.7% Luzern vs 3.5% Neuchâtel−51%
  • Rent: €17.56/m² (2021) Luzern vs €14.38/m² (2024) Neuchâtelno percentage
  • Residents: 86,234 Luzern vs 45,309 Neuchâtel+90%
  • Nearest airport: 5.0 km Luzern vs 17.0 km Neuchâtel−71%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 12,894 Luzern vs 11,666 Neuchâtelno percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 9.8 µg/m³ Luzern vs 9.4 µg/m³ Neuchâtel+4%
  • Median gross pay, region: €7,445 Luzern vs €7,310 Neuchâtelsame level
Full comparisonMore about Luzern

Cities near Neuchâtel

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in Switzerland

Other cities in Switzerland to compare with Neuchâtel, nearest in population first.

All Switzerland cities
Bellinzona45,305 residentsThun44,125 residentsKöniz43,508 residentsChur39,177 residentsFribourg39,151 residentsSchaffhausen38,964 residents

How does Neuchâtel compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Neuchâtel's.

Open the full comparison

Neuchâtel in rankings

#11 of 30 in Largest cities in Switzerland

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Neuchâtel 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.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 4 to 15, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Einführungsklassen / integrative DaZ-Sprachförderung (per canton). How to enrol a child (edk.ch).

A country-wide rule for Switzerland; Neuchâtel's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Put Neuchâtel's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Neuchâtel?

The published population was 45,309 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Neuchâtel?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.4 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.

How safe is Neuchâtel?

Police recorded about 11,666 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Rapport 2025 de la statistique policière de la criminalité neuchâteloise.

What is the unemployment rate in Neuchâtel?

The unemployment rate is 3.5 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO.

What is the typical salary around Neuchâtel?

The median gross salary is 7,310 EUR/month. Source: www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch.

Is Neuchâtel a good place to live?

Neuchâtel 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.

Which cities are near Neuchâtel?

Milvignes, La Tène, Val-de-Ruz, Boudry, La Chaux-de-Fonds are near Neuchâtel. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

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

The official country of birth distribution records 45,466 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, October 16). Neuchâtel, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 5017ca9fc7caec65878f6ae5f0593406]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/6458-neuchatel/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_neuchatel-switzerland-population-rent-salary-jobs_4c20ecee2dbd,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Neuchâtel, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {5017ca9fc7caec65878f6ae5f0593406},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/6458-neuchatel/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Neuchâtel, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/6458-neuchatel/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 5017ca9fc7caec65878f6ae5f0593406; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

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=A5 (2020-2025), FJ=2020, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km². disseminate.stats.swiss · checked 2026-07-15
  4. Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton) dam-api.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-09-24
  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. Rapport 2025 de la statistique policière de la criminalité neuchâteloise ne.ch · checked 2026-10-09
  8. Salt Swiss 10GB salt.ch · checked 2026-09-15
  9. Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024. pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2024-12-31
  10. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-30
Show 14 more sources
  1. Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-08
  2. Swisscom blue Internet S swisscom.ch · checked 2026-09-15
  3. Switzerland official denominator source pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-14
  4. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-02
  5. www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-27
  6. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  7. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  8. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  9. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  10. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  13. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  14. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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