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Municipality · Neuchâtel

La Chaux-de-Fonds

Get to know La Chaux-de-Fonds

La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss town and municipality in the canton of Neuchâtel.

Read the full introduction

It is located in the Jura Mountains at an altitude of 992 metres, a few kilometres south of the French border. After Geneva, Lausanne, Biel/Bienne, and Fribourg, it is the fifth-largest city in the Romandie, the French-speaking part of the country, with a population of 36,915.

Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Landscape

A landscape shaped by farmland

The land-use survey ending in 2025 shows how the area is shared between buildings, woodland, farmland and water.

54%

Agriculture

  • Agriculture54%
  • Forest28%
  • Settlement18%
  • Water<1%
  • Other<1%
Survey period ending 2025 · BFS

Housing

Finding a home here

A view of the rental market, drawn from 225 apartment and house listings. These are advertised rents, before any individual negotiation.

Homes to rentHomes to buy
Net asking rent

CHF 13.1

/ m² per month

Middle half of advertised rents

11.115.4

1 Nov 2026

More about Housing
Vacancy
2.91%As of 1 June 2026

2026

2.91%

3.920
20222026
Vacancy
20151.47%
20161.52%
20172.00%
20182.63%
20193.58%
20204.26%
20214.22%
20223.91%
20233.53%
20243.26%
20253.57%
20262.91%
Net asking rentCHF 13.1/ m² per month1 Nov 2026
Gross asking rentCHF 16.4/ m² per month1 Nov 2026
Asking priceCHF 4'789/ m²1 Nov 2026
Dwellings22'339Counted on 31 Dec 2025 · in 4'542 residential buildings
Newly built dwellings31During 2024
Primary residences84%Dwelling inventory 2026
Broadband coverage60%FibreAs of 2026 · Broadband coverage is one part of everyday infrastructure. This is coverage across the reported area; availability at a particular home still depends on its address.

People

The people who live here

The population grew by 0.9% between 2010 and 2025. The annual record shows how that change unfolded.

End of 2025

2025

37'858

37.9K18.9K0
20212025
Population
201037'504
201137'843
201238'267
201338'699
201439'027
201538'957
201638'965
201738'625
201837'952
201937'494
202036'915
202136'748
202236'527
202337'233
202437'600
202537'858
More about People
Population
37'858End of 2025

2025

37'858

37.9K18.9K0
20212025
Population
201037'504
201137'843
201238'267
201338'699
201439'027
201538'957
201638'965
201738'625
201837'952
201937'494
202036'915
202136'748
202236'527
202337'233
202437'600
202537'858
Foreign residents
33.5%End of 2025

2025

33.5%

33.516.70
20212025
Foreign residents
201028.1%
201128.4%
201229.0%
201330.3%
201430.5%
201531.0%
201631.1%
201730.5%
201830.3%
201930.3%
202030.0%
202130.1%
202230.4%
202332.1%
202433.1%
202533.5%
Jobs (FTE)
22'376

As of 2024 · The reported area accounts for 22'376 full-time-equivalent jobs. This describes employment located here, rather than the number of residents who work.

2024

22'376

22.9K11.5K0
20202024
Jobs (FTE)
201121'154
201221'810
201321'988
201422'106
201521'211
201620'457
201720'878
201821'741
201921'497
202020'776
202121'212
202222'321
202322'912
202422'376

Taxes & income

A picture of local costs

Single person without children, gross wage CHF 100'000 · Canton, municipality and personal tax, without church, federal and wealth tax · tax year 2026

CHF 17'236

/ year

More about Taxes & income
Income taxCHF 17'236/ yearTax year 2026

Single person without children, gross wage CHF 100'000 · Canton, municipality and personal tax, without church, federal and wealth tax · tax year 2026

Tax multiplier
75%Tax year 2026

2026

75%

7537.50
20222026
Tax multiplier
201070%
201170%
201270%
201370%
201477%
201577%
201677%
201776%
201875%
201975%
202075%
202175%
202275%
202375%
202475%
202575%
202675%
Median taxable income
CHF 39'400All taxpayers · tax period 2022

2022

CHF 39'400

39.4K19.7K0
20182022
Median taxable income
2010CHF 37'400
2011CHF 37'600
2012CHF 38'300
2013CHF 38'400
2014CHF 38'100
2015CHF 37'600
2016CHF 37'300
2017CHF 37'000
2018CHF 38'000
2019CHF 38'300
2020CHF 37'800
2021CHF 38'500
2022CHF 39'400
Median net income
CHF 44'250As of 2022

2022

CHF 44'250

44.3K22.1K0
20182022
Median net income
2010CHF 42'300
2011CHF 42'600
2012CHF 43'300
2013CHF 43'300
2014CHF 43'200
2015CHF 42'700
2016CHF 42'300
2017CHF 41'900
2018CHF 42'900
2019CHF 43'200
2020CHF 42'800
2021CHF 43'175
2022CHF 44'250
Paying direct federal tax67%As of 2022
Cantonal tax multiplier
124%Tax year 2026

2026

124%

12562.50
20222026
Cantonal tax multiplier
2010130%
2011130%
2012130%
2013130%
2014123%
2015123%
2016123%
2017124%
2018125%
2019125%
2020125%
2021125%
2022125%
2023125%
2024125%
2025124%
2026124%

Federal data — BFS (STATPOP, STATENT, land use), ESTV, BAKOM, ARE. Asking rents and prices: Homematch, from listings on Swiss portals.

The municipality
Settlement type
Urban
Municipality type
Urban municipality of a medium-sized agglomertation
Language region
French
Agglomeration
La Chaux-de-Fonds – Le Locle (CH)
Labour market region
La Chaux-de-Fonds
Statistical city
Yes
Mountain region
Yes

Federal Statistical Office · 2020