The best Swiss cities for young people revealed
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By Jan de Boer
A new study from vidaXL has revealed the best cities in Switzerland for young people. In what may prove a surprise, Bern took the top spot, thanks to a winning mixture of good quality of life and leisure activities.
Bern named Switzerland's best city for young people
In the study, the retailer vidaXL ranked 20 Swiss cities by how attractive they are to young people. Each city on the list was rated through 11 different factors, including (among others) the size of the youth population, salaries, rental and living costs, restaurant options, internet speeds, green spaces and light pollution.
Interestingly, rather than the typical youth hotspots, the ranking named Bern as the best in Switzerland for those aged 18 to 34. The de facto capital was praised for its “many trendy neighbourhoods and vibrant nightlife.”
Bern scored best thanks to its relatively low cost of living, sizable young population and excellent internet. Its worst metrics were due to the number of activities and restaurants on offer for young people.
What other Swiss cities are ideal for younger generations?
Bern was closely followed by Zurich, labelled a “centre of modern and captivating attractions” by vidaXL. Its best draws were the sheer size of the youth population, the vast range of social activities and restaurants on offer, and the fact that it offers some of the highest salaries in Switzerland.
However, Zurich was edged out by Bern due to living costs, which were the highest in the ranking. Lausanne rounded out the podium places due to good scores for quality of life and social activities, and Geneva took fourth, as while it scored well for amenities and salaries, it performed poorly for green spaces and light pollution.
Another city to come out of left field was Lugano, placing fifth due to its low noise and light pollution and large variety of restaurants. In terms of the best cities for certain categories, St. Gallen was the best for noise and light pollution, Sion had the lowest cost of living, and Bellinzona had the most green space and the best weather.
10 best cities in Switzerland for young people
In all, here are the best cities in Switzerland for young people:
- Bern
- Zurich
- Lausanne
- Geneva
- Lugano
- St. Gallen
- Sion
- Fribourg
- Lucerne
- Bellinzona
For more information, check out the vidaXL website.
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more