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Quality of life in Emmen (Lucerne): scores, review and neighborhoods

6.4/ 10
Good
Population
28,514
Commune type
Town

Living in Emmen, a commune of 28514 inhabitants in Canton Lucerne. With an overall score of 6.4/10, this commune is attractive for quality of life in Switzerland. It stands out for Healthcare (9.6/10) and Education & Culture (9.5/10). Its score is in line with the cantonal average.

Scorecard

Noise
7.7
Air Quality
4.2
Public Transport
6.4
Education & Culture
9.5
Nightlife & Dining
8.8
Nature & Green Spaces
4.9
Healthcare
9.6
Taxation
3.8
Annual Sunshine
2.5
Cantonal average

These scores summarise the living environment where residents actually live, not across the whole municipal territory. The map, by contrast, colours the territory: a highly rated commune can still show large, often uninhabited areas with weaker values.

Recommended Profiles

Young Professional
Very goodTop 25% in Switzerland
mediantop
Family
Good
mediantop
Retirement
Fair
mediantop
Nature
Average
mediantop

For families looking to settle in Switzerland, Emmen achieves a compatibility score of 6.5/10. Key strengths for this profile include Education & Culture and Noise. The Nature profile (5.5/10) would find better alternatives in neighboring communes.

Strengths: Emmen excels in Healthcare (9.6/10, excellent access to doctors, clinics, and hospitals), Education & Culture (9.5/10, excellent access to schools, libraries, and cultural venues), Nightlife & Dining (8.8/10, a rich selection of restaurants, bars, and entertainment).

Areas to consider: Lower scores are noted for Annual Sunshine (2.5/10), Taxation (3.8/10, a higher tax burden than average), Air Quality (4.2/10, degraded air quality from traffic emissions).

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Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

Schul- und Gemeindebibliothek EmmenLibrary
MaxxCinema / Theatre
Primarschule RüeggisingenSchool
BerufsbildungszentrumSchool
Primar und Sekundarschule GersagSchool
HübeliSchool
MeierhöfliSchool
Schulhaus SprengiSchool

Public Transport

Emmenbrücke GersagTrain Station
Emmenbrücke KapfTrain Station
EmmenbrückeTrain Station
WaldibrückeTrain Station
AbendwegBus Stop
RüeggisingenBus Stop
Benziwil OstBus Stop
Schwimmbad MooshüsliBus Stop

Healthcare Facilities

TopPharm Emmen ApothekeDoctor
Gesundheitszentrum KapfDoctor
Naturheilzentrum Jaeger s‘BlaueHuus AGDoctor
Augenzentrum LuzernNordDoctor
Krankenabteilung Kaserne EmmenDoctor
Zahnartztpraxis MeierhöfliDoctor
Praxis Radiologie GersagDoctor
Hausarztzentrum GersagDoctor

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

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

Frequently asked questions about Emmen

What's it like to live in Emmen? Resident impressions and quality of life
Emmen stands out as a well-connected suburban commune in the Lucerne agglomeration, with a population of 28,514. Its strongest dimensions are healthcare at 9.6 and education at 9.5, supported by solid dining at 8.8 and transport at 6.4. Neighboring communes include Rothenburg, Ebikon, and Eschenbach (LU), offering additional options nearby. By contrast, the weaker side shows in fiscal pressure at 3.8, limited sunshine at 2.5, and modest air quality at 4.2, while nature sits at 4.9. Meanwhile, noise levels register at 7.7, reflecting the busy setting. The main tradeoff is clear: excellent public services and connectivity come alongside higher costs, duller skies, and less immediate green space.
How sunny and clean is the air in Emmen?
Emmen stands out for its strong public services rather than its climate. With 28,514 residents, it leads on transport and dining, scoring 6.4 and 8.8 respectively, while education reaches 9.5 and healthcare 9.6. Air quality, however, is a weaker point at 4.2, and sunshine is the lowest measured dimension at just 2.5. Nature access sits at 4.9, below the mid-range. Meanwhile, noise exposure is comparatively high at 7.7, reflecting the dense agglomeration setting near Lucerne. Neighboring communes such as Rothenburg, Ebikon, and Eschenbach (LU) share this broader urban corridor. The main tradeoff is clear: Emmen offers excellent services and connectivity, but residents accept limited sunshine, moderate air quality, and elevated noise in return.
How well-connected is Emmen? Transport, schools, dining
Emmen stands out for its strong education and healthcare, scoring 9.5 and 9.6 respectively, alongside solid transport at 6.4 and dining at 8.8. With over 28,000 residents, it benefits from its position in the Lucerne agglomeration, supported by neighboring Rothenburg, Ebikon, and Eschenbach (LU). Meanwhile, air quality sits at 4.2 and nature at 4.9, while sunshine is notably low at 2.5. Fiscal attractiveness is also weak at 3.8, and noise registers 7.7. The main tradeoff is that Emmen offers excellent public services and connectivity, but residents accept comparatively modest environmental quality and higher fiscal pressure.
What are the neighboring communes of Emmen and how big is it?
Emmen is a large suburban commune in the Lucerne agglomeration, home to 28,514 residents. It borders Rothenburg, Ebikon, and Eschenbach (LU). With more than 5,000 inhabitants, its profile leans on transport and dining: transport scores 6.4 and restaurants 8.8, while healthcare reaches 9.6 and education 9.5. Meanwhile, air quality sits at 4.2 and nature at 4.9, and fiscal attractiveness is low at 3.8. Notably, sunshine is the weakest dimension at 2.5. The main tradeoff is that Emmen offers strong public services and connections but weaker environmental quality and higher fiscal pressure than smaller, greener communes nearby.
Is Emmen a tax-friendly municipality?
Emmen is not a tax-friendly municipality, with a fiscalite score of only 3.8. What distinguishes it instead is its strong public-service profile: education scores 9.5 and healthcare 9.6, both notably high. Transport is decent at 6.4, and dining reaches 8.8. Meanwhile, air quality sits at 4.2 and nature at 4.9, so environmental quality is moderate rather than a draw. Sunshine is the weakest point at 2.5. Neighboring communes include Rothenburg, Ebikon, and Eschenbach (LU). The main tradeoff is clear: residents gain excellent schools and health infrastructure alongside solid transport links, but they accept weak tax attractiveness, limited sunshine, and only middling air and nature scores in return.

Neighboring communes of Emmen

Demographic profile

Age structure

0–19 years 20.1 %20–64 years 62.6 %65 and over 17.3 %
Density
1,524 inhab./km²
Change over 10 yrs
+10.7 %
Vacant housing
2.5 %
New dwellings
0.5 per 1,000 inhab.
Social assistance
4 %
Tertiary employment
64 %

Land use

Built-up area 38.1 %Agricultural land 42.1 %Forest 17.6 %

Source: FSO, Regional portraits of municipalities, 2021

Information

Canton
Lucerne (LU)
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland
Coordinates
47.0906, 8.2876
BFS Number
1024
Last updated
7 October 2026

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

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