Switzerland recorded its first vacancy rate below 1% in 2026, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office (BFS). As of June 1, the country had 45,493 vacant residential units, representing 0.93% of the total housing stock—a decline of 0.07 percentage points from the previous year. This represents a 6.1% reduction in the absolute number of vacant homes, down from 29,621 units in 2025. Over the past five years, the vacancy rate has consistently fallen, decreasing by 0.79 percentage points since 2021, from 1.72% to 0.93% in 2026.
The decline was most pronounced among rental properties, which accounted for 34,690 of the 45,493 vacant units, down 6.7% year-over-year. Vacant homes for sale fell by 4.1%, totaling 10,803 units. Notably, the vacancy rate also decreased among new constructions and single-family homes, with 6,496 single-family homes and 3,910 newly built units (less than two years old) unoccupied.
The reduction was observed in six of the seven major regions, with the highest declines seen in the eastern, northern-western regions, and Tessin. Only the Zürich region saw a slight increase in vacancy rates to 0.52%, up from 0.45% in 2025. Meanwhile, 15 cantons had vacancy rates below 1%, with Zug leading at 0.20%, followed by Geneva (0.31%) and Obwalden (0.32%). The cantons with the highest vacancy rates were Jura (3.35%) and Solothurn (1.91%).
The decline was consistent across all housing sizes, with the most significant proportional reduction in two-bedroom units. Three- and four-bedroom homes were the most frequently vacant.
This trend reflects broader housing market dynamics, where supply constraints and high demand have contributed to lower vacancy rates across Switzerland.
