Where to Live in Lucerne in Retirement

By VivaMap · find the best place to live in Switzerland, from canton to exact address · Last updated 16 June 2026

Quality-of-life map for the Retirement profile in the Lucerne area — communes weighted by that profile's priorities

The Lucerne metropolitan area shows mixed results for the Retirement profile. Our analysis covers 42 communes in the Lucerne area.

With an average score of 5.8/10, the area is on par with the national average (5.9/10). Individual scores range from 4.9 to 6.5/10, offering a real span of options. A standard deviation of 0.34 signals relative homogeneity for this profile.

Top 5 Communes

  1. 1. Meggen (LU) 6.5/10
    strong score, above the local average
  2. 2. Luzern (LU) 6.5/10
    strong score, above the local average
  3. 3. Kriens (LU) 6.4/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  4. 4. Ennetbürgen (NW) 6.4/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  5. 5. Risch (ZG) 6.3/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence

Bottom 5 Communes

  1. 1. Buchrain (LU) 4.9/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  2. 2. Gisikon (LU) 5.2/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  3. 3. Inwil (LU) 5.2/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  4. 4. Malters (LU) 5.4/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence
  5. 5. Dietwil (AG) 5.5/10
    solid score for this profile, without marked excellence

Why These Communes Stand Out

Nature & Green Spaces (weight: 95%)

Excellent average of 9/10. Schwarzenberg leads the ranking (9.8/10), while Luzern comes last (7.3/10). Note: Luzern appears in the global top 5 for the Retirement profile despite a low score here — its advantage comes from other criteria.

Healthcare (weight: 95%)

Moderate average of 6.1/10. Ebikon leads the ranking (8.2/10), while Schwarzenberg comes last (4.6/10).

Noise (weight: 90%)

Excellent average of 8.5/10. Schwarzenberg leads the ranking (10/10), while Buchrain comes last (3.7/10).

Strengths and Tradeoffs of the Agglomeration

Relative to the Swiss average, the Lucerne area stands out on Taxation (4.9/10, above the national average of 3.5/10, deviation +1.4) and shows weakness on Annual Sunshine (3.1/10, well below the national average of 4.7/10, deviation -1.5).

Top-ranked communes limit the compromise on Annual Sunshine without sacrificing higher-priority profile criteria. Each criterion's scores are independently normalised at national scale; direct comparison between different criteria should be interpreted with caution.

Advice for the Retirement profile

For retirees, proximity to care — GP, pharmacy, reference hospital — becomes central, as does walking access to shops and administrative services. A high score on Healthcare, Noise, and Public transport (even without commuting) preserves autonomy over time. Taxation also weighs heavily at retirement, when income drops. Avoid very steep communes if mobility declines: proximity is not enough without a reasonable gradient. A mid-sized commune (3,000–10,000 residents) often strikes the best balance between calm and services.

Methodology

The profile overall score combines the 9 VivaMap criteria weighted by the profile's declared priorities. Each criterion score is normalised on a national 0-10 scale to keep agglomerations comparable. Visit the criteria pages to learn how each dimension is measured.

Related Guides

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