What Concerns Families in Switzerland - Swiss Family Barometer 2026

With the Swiss Family Barometer, Pro Familia Switzerland and Pax provide in-depth insights into the realities of family life in Switzerland annually, creating a data foundation for political, social, and economic discussions. For the fourth edition, the consultancy and research firm Empiricon AG surveyed 2,036 families from all regions of Switzerland in a representative study. The investigation highlights the concerns of families, examines their satisfaction and prospects, and discusses the compatibility of family and work, as well as the topics of finance and provision. This year's edition also focuses on the handling of digital media and the imparting of financial knowledge. The evaluation of the results was differentiated by language region, number and age of children, family type, and household income.

The full report 'Swiss Family Barometer 2026 - What Concerns Families in Switzerland' can be accessed at familienbarometer.ch. Selected results in summary:

Money remains a primary concern for families in Switzerland. Health insurance premiums concern 49 percent of the surveyed families, while rising prices concern 37 percent. Other topics that follow are health (26 percent), housing costs (25 percent), education and educational policy (23 percent), as well as media and social media handling (22 percent), each having similar high relevance. The importance of media and social media handling continues to increase, while the relevance of climate change and environmental protection for families in Switzerland is generally declining.

Regional differences in the importance of youth violence, educational policies, and social media. Youth violence strongly concerns 23 percent of families in Ticino and 22 percent in Romandy, but only 7 percent in German-speaking Switzerland. In contrast, education and educational policy concern families in German-speaking Switzerland more (29 percent) than in Romandy (13 percent) and Ticino (9 percent). This pattern is similar regarding media and social media handling, with 27 percent of families in German-speaking Switzerland strongly concerned compared to 13 percent in Romandy and 10 percent in Ticino.

Families are satisfied with the present but remain pessimistic about the future. A large majority (79 percent) of respondents indicate they are rather or very satisfied with their family life. Slightly lower satisfaction levels are observed among single-parent households (72 percent) and families in Ticino (74 percent), yet these values remain high overall. Simultaneously, 76 percent expect the general situation for families in Switzerland to deteriorate slightly or significantly over the next three years.

Digital media usage has both positive and negative influences on family life. Thirty-two percent of the families surveyed purposely spend time together using digital media, like watching films, listening to music, or playing games. Meanwhile, 31 percent say that family time diminishes because of media consumption. In 24 percent of families, digital media consumption leads to more disputes and discussions, whereas 18 percent discover shared interests and topics for conversation thanks to digital media.

Desire for support from platform operators and schools in media education. The statement 'I feel confident and capable of safely guiding my child in using mobile phones, the internet, and social media' is somewhat agreed to by 57 percent and completely agreed to by 30 percent of respondents. For support in media education, families primarily wish for better protection of children by social media providers (49 percent) and mobile phone bans in schools (49 percent). Additionally, 47 percent find general support through schools and 44 percent, such as legal restrictions like a minimum age for social media, desirable.

Parents feel competent in teaching their children how to manage money. The statement 'I feel confident and capable of explaining money management and financial knowledge to my child' is somewhat agreed to by 51 percent and completely agreed to by 40 percent of the respondents. Simultaneously, nearly half of the families (47 percent) say that more good educational programs on finance for children and teenagers are needed.

Financial education: Mothers and fathers share similar responsibilities. In 63 percent of families, mainly the mother explains money management to the children, while in 58 percent this is primarily done by the father. Mothers and fathers can bear this main responsibility simultaneously. The responsibility to teach children and young people about handling money is clearly seen by the respondents on the parents (81 percent), supplemented by the school (55 percent). Other parties and organizations play a subordinate role.

Families with young children more often experience their financial situation as tight. Forty-seven percent of the surveyed families indicate their household income suffices for family life. Forty-six percent say their income is barely sufficient, and 7 percent that it is insufficient. Compared to previous years, the perception of their financial situation remains stable overall. Families with young children aged between 0 and 3 years report their income is just enough more frequently, at 53 percent.

Eva-Maria Kaufmann Rochereau, Director of Pro Familia Switzerland, says: 'It becomes clear under what pressure many families are, particularly due to rising costs, but also due to challenges in digital daily life and in balancing work and family. Despite high satisfaction with their own family life, many look to the future with concern. Therefore, reliable framework conditions that sustainably relieve and strengthen families are crucial.'

Daniel Mutz, Head of Sales & Marketing at Pax, says: 'Money issues particularly impact families in Switzerland. Therefore, it is essential to impart foundational financial knowledge and money management skills to the younger generation. It is pleasing that the majority of families feel capable of this. Simultaneously, the study results show that additional educational offerings for children and young people can make a significant contribution.'

The full report 'Swiss Family Barometer 2026 - What Concerns Families in Switzerland' is available from 12 March 2026 at familienbarometer.ch.

About the Swiss Family Barometer. The Swiss Family Barometer was launched in 2023 by Pro Familia Switzerland and Pax and serves as a well-founded measurement tool to depict the current realities of families in Switzerland and their change over time. The Family Barometer is conducted annually, creating a long-term data basis for family and social policy debates as well as corporate discourse. For the fourth edition of the Swiss Family Barometer, the consultancy and research company Empiricon AG surveyed 2,036 families from all parts of Switzerland via a representative online panel on behalf of Pax and Pro Familia Switzerland between 10 November and 27 November 2025. To account for the diversity of today's family forms, there were no specifications or restrictions regarding family configurations in the selection of participants. Detailed information on the methodological approach can be found in the study report.

About Pro Familia Switzerland. Pro Familia Switzerland is the umbrella organization of family organizations and the competence center for family policy in Switzerland. It represents numerous family and parental organizations in Switzerland. For over 80 years, the association has been monitoring societal developments that influence the living conditions of families and, consequently, redefine the roles of fathers, mothers, and children.

Media contact:
Pax
Samuel Wernli
Head of Corporate Communications
media@pax.ch
+41 61 277 62 62

Pro Familia Switzerland
Eva-Maria Kaufmann Rochereau
eva-maria.kaufmann@profamilia.ch
+41 76 276 22 07

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: Pax