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Quality of life in Interlaken (Bern) — scores, review and neighborhoods

6.9/ 10
Top 5% in SwitzerlandExcellent
Population
5,710
Commune type
Town

Living in Interlaken, a commune of 5710 inhabitants in Canton Bern — with an overall score of 6.9/10, this commune is attractive for quality of life in Switzerland. It stands out for Education & Culture (9.6/10) and Nightlife & Dining (9.4/10). Its score is above the cantonal average.

Scorecard

Noise
8.6
Air Quality
5.6
Public Transport
5.6
Education & Culture
9.6
Nightlife & Dining
9.4
Nature & Green Spaces
7.1
Healthcare
9.4
Taxation
1.2
Annual Sunshine
5.4
Cantonal average

Interlaken's national strengths

Top 50 · Nightlife & Dining ↗Top 50 · Education & Culture ↗
Per our methodology ↗

Recommended Profiles

Family
ExcellentTop 5% in Switzerland
mediantop
Young Professional
ExcellentTop 5% in Switzerland
mediantop
Retirement
Very goodTop 25% in Switzerland
mediantop
Nature
Fair
mediantop

For families looking to settle in Switzerland, Interlaken achieves a compatibility score of 7.1/10. Key strengths for this profile include Education & Culture and Noise. The Young Professional profile (6.5/10) would find better alternatives in neighboring communes.

Strengths: Interlaken excels in Education & Culture (9.6/10) — excellent access to schools, libraries, and cultural venues, Nightlife & Dining (9.4/10) — a rich selection of restaurants, bars, and entertainment, Healthcare (9.4/10) — excellent access to doctors, clinics, and hospitals.

Areas to consider: Lower scores are noted for Taxation (1.2/10) — a higher tax burden than average.

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Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

Brünig Dampfbahn BDBMuseum
Bödeli BibliothekLibrary
SchlosskellerCinema / Theatre
Cine RexCinema / Theatre
Gymnasium InterlakenSchool
Bildungszentrum Interlaken BZISchool
Primarschule Interlaken WestSchool
Schulanlage AlpenstrasseSchool

Public Transport

Interlaken OstTrain Station
Interlaken WestTrain Station
Zentrum ArtosBus Stop
SonnenhofBus Stop
LindenalleeBus Stop
Interlaken Ost, Bahnhof, Steig ABus Stop
Berufsschule BZIBus Stop
Untere BönigstrasseBus Stop

Healthcare Facilities

Aerztezentrum Medical CentreMedical Centre
Vallhov-ImhofDoctor
Grosse Apotheke Dr. BichselDoctor
RöthlisbergerDoctor
PortmannDoctor
Beat Röthlisberger, Zahnarztpraxis Am MarktplatzDoctor
Bahnhof ApothekeDoctor

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 Thun as a Family
Young Professional
Where to Live in Thun as a Young Professional
Retirement
Where to Live in Thun in Retirement
Nature
Where to Live in Thun Close to Nature
Explore the map for more details →

Considering buying property in Interlaken or moving to Canton Bern? Our interactive map lets you explore quality of life at the neighborhood level and compare with nearby communes.

Frequently asked questions about Interlaken

What's it like to live in Interlaken? Resident impressions and quality of life
Interlaken offers a notably different living environment compared to its neighbors Matten bei Interlaken, Unterseen, and Ringgenberg. The commune's weakest dimension is fiscal policy, scoring only 1.2, which may concern budget-conscious residents. However, Interlaken compensates with strong environmental qualities: noise levels reach 8.6, among the canton's finest, while healthcare services score 7.7 and nature access scores 7.1. Air quality at 7.4 and education at 7 further support daily wellbeing. Transportation connectivity remains moderate at 4.1. Overall, this Alpine setting balances excellent environmental and health conditions against limited fiscal advantages. Explore the detailed score breakdown on the map to discover which dimensions matter most to your lifestyle.
How sunny and clean is the air in Interlaken?
Interlaken performs notably better on air quality than its neighbors, with a score of 7.4, yet lags significantly on sunshine. While the commune excels in noise control at 8.6 and maintains solid health infrastructure with 7.7, sunshine remains a constraint at only 5.4—likely reflecting its Alpine valley location between Matten bei Interlaken, Unterseen, and Ringgenberg. Air quality, however, stands as one of the commune's stronger environmental dimensions. For detailed comparisons with neighboring areas and to explore what drives these environmental scores, visit the interactive map.
How well-connected is Interlaken? Transport, schools, dining
Interlaken trails its neighbors Matten bei Interlaken, Unterseen, and Ringgenberg in transport accessibility, scoring only 4.1—a notable weakness for a commune seeking connectivity. Education and dining fare better, with education at 7.0 and restaurants at 6.3, reflecting moderate availability. Health services emerge as the strongest dimension at 7.7, suggesting robust medical infrastructure. The transport score indicates limited public transit or accessibility despite the commune's position near regional hubs. Overall, Interlaken offers solid educational and dining options, yet transportation remains a constraint for those prioritizing seamless connectivity. Explore the detailed scoring breakdown on the map to assess whether these connections align with your needs.
What are the neighboring communes of Interlaken and how big is it?
Interlaken shares borders with three communes: Matten bei Interlaken, Unterseen, and Ringgenberg (BE). With a population of 5,710 residents, it is a modest-sized municipality within the Thun agglomeration. The commune's strongest dimensions are noise management at 8.6 and health services at 7.7, reflecting good living conditions overall. However, fiscal policy presents a significant weakness, scoring only 1.2. Transportation infrastructure also lags considerably at 4.1. Explore the detailed profiles of these neighboring communes and Interlaken's full dimension scores on the map to better understand the regional context.
Is Interlaken a tax-friendly municipality?
Compared to its neighbors Matten bei Interlaken, Unterseen, and Ringgenberg, Interlaken stands notably apart on fiscal matters. The municipality scores 1.2 on tax-friendliness—a significant weakness that warrants consideration for those prioritizing low tax burdens. However, Interlaken compensates in other dimensions: health services score 7.7, air quality reaches 7.4, and nature access scores 7.1. These strengths reflect the commune's appeal beyond fiscal advantages, offering residents solid environmental conditions and healthcare access. Whether tax policy aligns with your priorities deserves careful review of the detailed scoring breakdown on the map.

Neighboring communes of Interlaken

Demographic profile

Age structure

0–19 years 15.4 %20–64 years 62.4 %65 and over 22.3 %
Density
1,319 inhab./km²
Change over 10 yrs
+3.8 %
Vacant housing
1.4 %
New dwellings
15.6 per 1,000 inhab.
Social assistance
4.2 %

Land use

Built-up area 47.1 %Agricultural land 24.2 %Forest 21.9 %

Source: FSO — Regional portraits of municipalities, 2021

Information

Canton
Bern (BE)
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland
Coordinates
46.6865, 7.8607
BFS Number
581
Last updated
17 July 2026

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

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