Municipality · Vaud

Lausanne

Get to know Lausanne

Lausanne is the capital and largest city of the Swiss French-speaking canton of Vaud, in Switzerland.

Read the full introduction

The Olympic capital, it is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and facing the French town of Évian-les-Bains across the lake. Lausanne is 51.7 kilometres northeast of Geneva, the nearest major city. The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland convenes in Lausanne, although it is not the de jure capital of the nation.

Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Landscape

The shape of the place

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

47%

Settlement

Settlement47%
Forest39%
Agriculture14%
Water<1%

Survey period ending 2025 · BFS

Climate

Through the seasons

Annual mean 11.3°C with 1'132 mm of rain. Warmest in July (20.5°C), coldest in January (2.7°C). Station: Pully, 456 m.

Pully · 456 m.a.s.l. · 1991–2020 normals · MeteoSchweiz

11.3°C

Annual average

Sunshine

1'884 h

Precipitation

1'132 mm

3°21°Temperature and sunshine across the year.

Warming trend

Mean annual temperature at Payerne has risen by +1.8°C between the first 30 observed years (1965–1984) and the most recent (2006–2025).

19652025

Source: MeteoSchweiz NBCN

Housing

Finding a home here

A view of the rental market, drawn from 334 apartment and house listings. These are advertised rents, before any individual negotiation.

Homes to rent Homes to buy

Net asking rent

CHF 27.9

/ m² per month

Middle half of advertised rents

24.732.5

1 Nov 2026

More about Housing

Vacancy

0.63%As of 1 June 2026

2026

0.63%

10.50

20222026

Vacancy
2015	0.14%
2016	0.29%
2017	0.38%
2018	0.68%
2019	0.35%
2020	0.48%
2021	0.72%
2022	0.49%
2023	0.52%
2024	0.55%
2025	0.58%
2026	0.63%

Net asking rentCHF 27.9/ m² per month1 Nov 2026

Gross asking rentCHF 31.2/ m² per month1 Nov 2026

Asking priceCHF 13'295/ m²1 Nov 2026

Dwellings82'539Counted on 31 Dec 2025 · in 9'096 residential buildings

Newly built dwellings602During 2024

Primary residences88%Dwelling inventory 2026

Broadband coverage98%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 13.9% between 2010 and 2025. The annual record shows how that change unfolded.

End of 2025

2025

145'596

145.6K72.8K0

20212025

Population
2010	127'821
2011	129'383
2012	130'421
2013	132'788
2014	133'897
2015	135'629
2016	137'810
2017	138'905
2018	139'111
2019	139'408
2020	140'202
2021	140'619
2022	141'418
2023	144'160
2024	144'873
2025	145'596

More about People

Population

145'596End of 2025

2025

145'596

145.6K72.8K0

20212025

Population
2010	127'821
2011	129'383
2012	130'421
2013	132'788
2014	133'897
2015	135'629
2016	137'810
2017	138'905
2018	139'111
2019	139'408
2020	140'202
2021	140'619
2022	141'418
2023	144'160
2024	144'873
2025	145'596

Foreign residents

42.9%End of 2025

2025

42.9%

42.921.50

20212025

Foreign residents
2010	40.4%
2011	40.7%
2012	41.3%
2013	42.1%
2014	42.3%
2015	42.9%
2016	43.1%
2017	43.2%
2018	42.8%
2019	42.4%
2020	42.3%
2021	42.0%
2022	41.9%
2023	42.5%
2024	42.7%
2025	42.9%

Jobs (FTE)

102'657

As of 2024 · The reported area accounts for 102'657 full-time-equivalent jobs. This describes employment located here, rather than the number of residents who work.

2024

102'657

104K52K0

20202024

Jobs (FTE)
2011	87'002
2012	88'656
2013	90'521
2014	91'567
2015	92'104
2016	93'706
2017	94'985
2018	97'555
2019	98'822
2020	98'429
2021	100'487
2022	103'358
2023	104'018
2024	102'657

Politics

Local choices

Strongest party: SP · 32.8% · 2023

Election results (1971–2023)

Turnout 39.3%

Source: FSO

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 15'020

/ year

More about Taxes & income

Income taxCHF 15'020/ 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

78.5%Tax year 2026

2026

78.5%

78.539.30

20222026

Tax multiplier
2010	83%
2011	77%
2012	79%
2013	79%
2014	79%
2015	79%
2016	79%
2017	79%
2018	79%
2019	79%
2020	78.5%
2021	78.5%
2022	78.5%
2023	78.5%
2024	78.5%
2025	78.5%
2026	78.5%

Median taxable income

CHF 43'300All taxpayers · tax period 2022

2022

CHF 43'300

43.3K21.7K0

20182022

Median taxable income
2010	CHF 40'000
2011	CHF 39'900
2012	CHF 39'700
2013	CHF 40'000
2014	CHF 40'400
2015	CHF 40'500
2016	CHF 40'700
2017	CHF 40'700
2018	CHF 40'800
2019	CHF 41'300
2020	CHF 41'900
2021	CHF 42'600
2022	CHF 43'300

Median net income

CHF 48'550As of 2022

2022

CHF 48'550

48.6K24.3K0

20182022

Median net income
2010	CHF 45'400
2011	CHF 45'300
2012	CHF 45'300
2013	CHF 45'800
2014	CHF 46'200
2015	CHF 46'300
2016	CHF 46'600
2017	CHF 46'400
2018	CHF 46'600
2019	CHF 47'100
2020	CHF 47'300
2021	CHF 47'950
2022	CHF 48'550

Paying direct federal tax69%As of 2022

Cantonal tax multiplier

155%Tax year 2026

2026

155%

15577.50

20222026

Cantonal tax multiplier
2010	151.5%
2011	157.5%
2012	154.5%
2013	154.5%
2014	154.5%
2015	154.5%
2016	154.5%
2017	154.5%
2018	154.5%
2019	154.5%
2020	156%
2021	155%
2022	155%
2023	155%
2024	155%
2025	155%
2026	155%

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 large agglomeration
Language region: French
Agglomeration: Lausanne
Labour market region: Lausanne
Statistical city: Yes
Mountain region: No

Federal Statistical Office · 2020