Population in the largest city in Switzerland
Switzerland: Population in the largest city was 18.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in Switzerland, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Switzerland is 18.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Switzerland peaked at 21.9% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 1980.
That places Switzerland 119th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 19.7% | — |
| 1961 | 19.5% | -1.2% |
| 1962 | 19.3% | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 19.2% | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 19.3% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 19.4% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 19.5% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 19.6% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 19.8% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 20.0% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 20.0% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 19.6% | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 19.3% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 19.1% | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 18.9% | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 18.9% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 18.8% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 18.7% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 18.5% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 18.2% | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 18.4% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 18.8% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 19.2% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 19.6% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 19.9% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 20.3% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 20.7% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 21.1% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 21.4% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 21.8% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 21.8% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 21.6% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 21.5% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 21.4% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 21.3% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 21.3% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 21.3% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 21.3% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 21.4% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 21.5% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 21.6% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 21.6% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 21.8% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 21.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 21.9% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 21.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 21.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 21.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 21.7% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 21.4% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 21.2% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 20.9% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 20.6% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 20.3% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 20.0% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 19.6% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 19.2% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 19.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 18.9% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 18.7% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.4% | 19.2% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.2% | 18.5% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.8% | 18.2% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.5% | 21.3% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.7% | 21.4% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.1% | 20.0% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.0% | 18.7% | 19.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More urban development data for Switzerland
- Population density 224.98 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.46 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.8141 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 36.23 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.46 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 1.37 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 135.43 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Switzerland?
- Population in the largest city in Switzerland was 18.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.9% in 2007.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 1980.
- How does Switzerland rank for population in the largest city?
- Switzerland ranks 119th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.