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Quality of life in Stans (Nidwalden): scores, review and neighborhoods

6.4/ 10
#1 in the cantonGood
Population
7,890
Commune type
Town

Living in Stans, a commune of 7890 inhabitants in Canton Nidwalden. With an overall score of 6.4/10, this commune is attractive for quality of life in Switzerland. It stands out for Education & Culture (9.9/10) and Healthcare (9.9/10). Its score is in line with the cantonal average.

Scorecard

Noise
7.3
Air Quality
3.0
Public Transport
4.5
Education & Culture
9.9
Nightlife & Dining
9.6
Nature & Green Spaces
6.6
Healthcare
9.9
Taxation
4.8
Annual Sunshine
2.2
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.

2027 distinction

  • Top 10%Access to healthcare9.9 · score when frozen

VivaMap Ranking 2027, data frozen on 14/10/2026. Rule: at most X% of the 2121 rated municipalities do as well or better.

The ranking, its method and the full list · Badge for your website

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, Stans 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: Stans excels in Education & Culture (9.9/10, excellent access to schools, libraries, and cultural venues), Healthcare (9.9/10, excellent access to doctors, clinics, and hospitals), Nightlife & Dining (9.6/10, a rich selection of restaurants, bars, and entertainment).

Areas to consider: Lower scores are noted for Annual Sunshine (2.2/10), Air Quality (3/10, degraded air quality from traffic emissions), Public Transport (4.5/10, limited public transport connections).

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Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

SalzmagazinMuseum
WinkelriedhausMuseum
Frey Näpfli StiftungMuseum
Kantonsbibliothek NidwaldenLibrary
Schul- und Gemeindebibliothek StansLibrary
Didaktisches Zentrum StansLibrary
Chäslager StansCinema / Theatre
Theater StansCinema / Theatre

Public Transport

StansTrain Station
Stans BahnhofBus Stop
SpichermattBus Stop
EngelbergstrasseBus Stop
Sportanlage EichliBus Stop
LänderparkBus Stop
OberstmühleBus Stop
MettenwegBus Stop

Healthcare Facilities

Spital NidwaldenHospital
DexaLifeDoctor
Zahnarztpraxis Gander + PlessDoctor
ZelgerDoctor
HNO-Praxis NidwaldenDoctor
Dentalhygiene-PraxisDoctor
Praxis ZahnmedizinDoctor
Apotheke Drogerie Durrer & NäpflinDoctor

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 Stans or moving to Canton Nidwalden? Our interactive map lets you explore quality of life at the neighborhood level and compare with nearby communes.

Frequently asked questions about Stans

What's it like to live in Stans? Resident impressions and quality of life
Stans scores 9.9 for education and 9.9 for healthcare, two of its strongest dimensions, reflecting a well-served commune of 7,890 residents in the Lucerne agglomeration. Transport links score 4.5 and dining reaches 9.6, thus daily errands and connections are practical. Air quality sits at 3, a weaker point, while noise is measured at 7.3 and nature at 6.6. Sunshine is limited at 2.2, and fiscal attractiveness is 4.8. Neighboring communes include Stansstad, Ennetmoos, and Buochs. These figures suggest a commune strong on services and amenities but more modest on environmental quiet and sunlight. Explore the detailed scores on the map to see how each dimension compares.
How sunny and clean is the air in Stans?
Stans records a sunshine score of just 2.2, the lowest figure among its rated dimensions, so bright days are comparatively limited here. Air quality tells a different story, with a score of 3 indicating a modest but noticeable pollution load rather than pristine conditions. The commune's stronger dimensions lie elsewhere: education and healthcare both reach 9.9, and dining scores 9.6. Transport sits at 4.5, while noise registers 7.3. Thus, anyone weighing Stans for daily life should note that sunshine and air cleanliness are not its leading assets, even as public services rate highly. For a fuller picture of how these scores compare with Stansstad, Ennetmoos and Buochs, explore the details on the map.
How well-connected is Stans? Transport, schools, dining
Stans earns a transport score of 4.5, reflecting moderate connections within the Lucerne agglomeration. Education stands out at 9.9, alongside dining at 9.6, making these the commune's strongest dimensions for residents. Healthcare also scores 9.9, reinforcing local service quality. Additionally, air quality registers 3, indicating higher pollution levels, while sunshine sits at just 2.2. Neighboring communes include Stansstad, Ennetmoos, and Buochs, which may offer complementary transport options. Thus, while education and dining excel, transport and environmental factors present trade-offs worth weighing. Explore the full score breakdown on the map to see how Stans compares across all dimensions.
What are the neighboring communes of Stans and how big is it?
With a population of 7,890, Stans is a mid-sized commune in Nidwalden within the Lucerne agglomeration. Its most striking scores are education and healthcare, both at 9.9, alongside dining at 9.6. Transport sits at 4.5, while sunshine is notably low at 2.2. The commune shares borders with three neighbors: Stansstad, Ennetmoos, and Buochs. Thus, Stans combines strong education, health, and dining scores with weaker transport and sunshine values. For a closer look at how these dimensions compare across the region, explore the full details on the map.
Is Stans a tax-friendly municipality?
Stans shows a fiscal attractiveness score of 4.8, which sits below the midpoint of the scale. The commune's real strengths lie elsewhere: education and healthcare both reach 9.9, among the highest values in the profile, while dining follows at 9.6. Additionally, noise exposure registers 7.3 and nature 6.6, offering a reasonably calm setting. Transport, at 4.5, and sunshine, at 2.2, are the more modest dimensions. Thus, anyone weighing Stans primarily on tax considerations should note that the fiscal score is moderate rather than favourable, and that the commune's appeal rests more on its public services and everyday amenities. Explore the detailed score breakdown on the map to see how each dimension compares.

Neighboring communes of Stans

Demographic profile

Age structure

0–19 years 18.2 %20–64 years 61.4 %65 and over 20.4 %
Density
745 inhab./km²
Change over 10 yrs
+3.7 %
Vacant housing
1.2 %
New dwellings
3.6 per 1,000 inhab.
Social assistance
1.2 %
Tertiary employment
65 %

Land use

Built-up area 20.9 %Agricultural land 40.1 %Forest 36.7 %

Source: FSO, Regional portraits of municipalities, 2021

Information

Canton
Nidwalden (NW)
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland
Coordinates
46.9618, 8.3640
BFS Number
1509
Last updated
7 October 2026

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

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