Switzerland needs more housing but is against building it, survey finds

A study by comparison website Comparis has found that young people and those living in Swiss cities are suffering the most from the housing shortage. A majority also reject tall buildings, densification and new building zones.

Swiss housing crisis impacts young people and city dwellers most

1.039 people living in Switzerland were recently asked about the current housing shortage by research institute Innofact on behalf of Comparis. The study found that 60 percent of people are affected by a lack of housing in some way, reports 20 Minuten.

Residents living in Switzerland’s major cities, such as Zurich, Basel and Geneva, are suffering the most. 66 percent reported experiencing the housing shortage compared to 49 percent of people living in rural areas.

People aged 18 to 35, who are also more likely to live in cities, are the age group most affected by a lack of housing.

Switzerland against building high-rise apartments

While most of the population is feeling the effects of a lack of housing, a large proportion is also against constructing more buildings. Specifically, 68 percent of respondents were opposed to more development in green spaces and around 50 percent were against building new apartments in their community that would be more than six stories tall.

Young people (aged 18 to 35) and people living in Swiss cities showed the least resistance to new, taller apartment blocks. 

The survey results highlight the contradiction the country faces, according to Harry Büsser from Comparis: “Switzerland needs more housing, but we don’t know where it will come from. We want more residential buildings, but neither higher nor denser construction, neither encroaching on green spaces nor reducing objections.”

In a recent interview with Blick, director of the Federal Office for Housing Martin Tschirren said that he expects the housing crisis to worsen in 2026 as the federal government focuses on measures that will improve the situation in the medium to long term.