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Quality of Life in Canton Basel-Stadt

Population
181,896
Municipalities
3
Largest municipality
Basel

Canton Basel-Stadt includes 3 communes evaluated by VivaMap. With an average score of 6.9/10, it stands out for Healthcare (9.5/10) and Noise (9.1/10). The Air Quality criterion (4.1/10) is its main area for improvement. Living in Canton Basel-Stadt is particularly suited for those seeking excellent access to doctors, clinics, and hospitals.

Canton Average Scores

Noise
9.1
Air Quality
4.1
Public Transport
7.0
Education & Culture
9.1
Nightlife & Dining
7.7
Nature & Green Spaces
6.6
Healthcare
9.5
Taxation
4.4
Annual Sunshine
4.3
National average

Canton Basel-Stadt's national strengths

#1 in Switzerland · Public Transport ↗#1 in Switzerland · Education & Culture ↗#1 in Switzerland · Nightlife & Dining ↗#1 in Switzerland · Healthcare ↗
Per our methodology ↗

Top Communes

  1. #1Riehen7.1
  2. #2Bettingen6.8
  3. #3Basel6.8

Lowest-Ranked Communes

  1. Basel6.8
  2. Bettingen6.8
  3. Riehen7.1

Best Communes by Profile

  • Family: Riehen (7.5/10) — ideal for families thanks to strong Education & Culture scores.
  • Young Professional: Basel (7.1/10) — ideal for young professionals thanks to strong Public Transport scores.
  • Retirement: Riehen (7/10) — ideal for retirees thanks to strong Nature & Green Spaces scores.
  • Nature: Bettingen (7/10) — ideal for nature lovers thanks to strong Nature & Green Spaces scores.

Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

Universität BaselUniversity
FHNWUniversity
Juristische Fakultät Universität BaselUniversity
Europainstitut der Universität BaselUniversity
Frey-Grynaeisches InstitutUniversity
RosshofUniversity
UniversitätsspitalUniversity
Juristische FakultätUniversity

Public Transport

Basel SBBTrain Station
Basel Badischer BahnhofTrain Station
RiehenTrain Station
Riehen NiederholzTrain Station
Basel SNCFTrain Station
Basel DreispitzTrain Station
Basel St. JohannTrain Station
Basel St. JakobTrain Station

Healthcare Facilities

Universitätsspital BaselHospital
Universitäts-Kinderspital Beider BaselHospital
St. Clara-SpitalHospital
Bethesda SpitalHospital
Felix-Platter-SpitalHospital
Institut für Pathologie Universitätsspital BaselHospital
REHAB BaselHospital
Irides PflegeHospital

Frequently Asked Questions

Which commune in Canton Basel-Stadt is best for families?
In Canton Basel-Stadt, Riehen (7.5/10 on the family profile) leads the ranking. Its strongest scores are in Noise and Healthcare — two criteria that the family profile weights heavily.
Where is taxation lowest in Canton Basel-Stadt?
Bettingen offers the lowest tax burden in Canton Basel-Stadt (score 4.8/10), computed for a reference household (married couple, 1 child, CHF 125,000 gross, tax year 2025) via the official ESTV calculator.
Which communes in Canton Basel-Stadt have the best public transport?
The best-served communes for public transport in Canton Basel-Stadt are Basel (8.3/10), Riehen (7.3/10) and Bettingen (5.4/10), based on ARE service-quality classes.
Which is the quietest commune in Canton Basel-Stadt?
Bettingen (10.0/10) is the quietest commune in Canton Basel-Stadt, per the FOEN SonBase model that aggregates road, rail and air noise.
Does Canton Basel-Stadt rank above the Swiss average for quality of life?
With an overall average score of 6.9/10, Canton Basel-Stadt sits above the Swiss national average (5.7/10). Its strongest dimension is Healthcare (9.5/10); its weakest is Air Quality (4.1/10).

Guides to read for this area

Four guides by lifestyle profile and three analyses of this area's strongest criteria.

By lifestyle profile

Family
Where to Live in Basel as a Family
Young Professional
Where to Live in Basel as a Young Professional
Retirement
Where to Live in Basel in Retirement
Nature
Where to Live in Basel Close to Nature

All Communes

RiehenBettingenBasel

Demographic profile

Age structure

0–19 years 17.3 %20–64 years 62.9 %65 and over 19.8 %
Density
5,300 inhab./km²
Change over 10 yrs
+5.9 %
Vacant housing
1 %
New dwellings
4.1 per 1,000 inhab.
Social assistance
6 %
Tertiary employment
82 %

Land use

Built-up area 81.8 %Agricultural land 6.4 %Forest 6.2 %

Source: FSO — Regional portraits of municipalities, 2021

Last updated: 17 July 2026

Data: FSO, geo.admin.ch, OSM — Scores normalised 0-10

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