There are currently just over 60,000 vacant dwellings in Switzerland — 1.3 percent of the total number of apartments in the country — the rate which is “particularly low”, according to data released on Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
The number of available apartments is the lowest in 20 years, FSO said.
This finding corresponds to the results of a study released earlier in September by Credit Suisse, which reported that "this decline is due to the slowdown in construction activity and the sharp increase in demand linked to economic growth and immigration".
All that, in addition to the scarcity of building land, and the shortage of dwellings is expected to continue as demand rises.
Where is it easiest and hardest to find apartments for rent right now?
This situation doesn’t impact the whole country the same way — this means that while in some cantons and cities housing is scarce, in others there are enough vacancies.
Not surprisingly, the most in-demand markets are also the ones that are most affected by shortages in homes for rent.
The canton of Geneva is the most affected, followed by Vaud, Zurich, Zug, and Basel-Country.
Unfortunately for new arrivals from abroad, these are also the areas where most of Switzerland’s international community chooses to settle because most job opportunities are found there.
READ MORE: Where do Switzerland’s foreigners all live?
Basel-City, Bern and Lugano are the only cities that are bucking this trend.
However, the picture is not totally grim.
If you don’t have your heart set on living in, or very close to, a large city, then your chances of finding a dwelling are bigger.
And if you are not averse to living in a rural area, you can probably find a flat relatively easily in the cantons of Jura, Schaffhausen, and Glarus.
But it is the Fribourg village of Montet that has the highest rate of empty apartments.
Size matters
The shortages exist not only in certain regions but also in the types of dwellings.
Three and four-room accommodations (which in Switzerland means a living room, bathroom, kitchen and two or three bedrooms) are most in demand and therefore hardest to find.
Smaller flats, with only one bedroom, are also not easy to come by, according to FSO.
This interactive map shows what the housing situation is right now in all Swiss communities.
Highest and lowest rents
As a rule, areas in and around major cities and economic hubs (especially multi-national ones) have higher rents than smaller, more remote towns and rural areas.
For instance, rents in the region of Zug and Zurich, as well as Lake Geneva (which comprises the city and canton of Geneva, and parts of Vaud), are the highest in Switzerland, while Jura, Neuchâtel and non-touristic areas of Valais are much cheaper.
This means, unsurprisingly, that areas where the demand is highest and the number of available units is lowest are also the areas where rents are the steepest.
READ MORE: Swiss rents: This is where cheapest and priciest apartments are
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