Quality of Life in Canton St. Gallen

Q: Which commune in Canton St. Gallen is best for families?

In Canton St. Gallen, Bad Ragaz (6.9/10 on the family profile) leads the ranking. Its strongest scores are in Healthcare and Nightlife & Dining, two criteria that the family profile weights heavily.

Q: Where is taxation lowest in Canton St. Gallen?

Balgach offers the lowest tax burden in Canton St. Gallen (score 5.8/10), computed for a reference household (married couple, 1 child, CHF 125,000 gross, tax year 2025) via the official ESTV calculator.

Q: Which is the quietest commune in Canton St. Gallen?

Pfäfers (9.8/10) is the quietest commune in Canton St. Gallen, per the FOEN SonBase model that aggregates road, rail and air noise.

Q: Does Canton St. Gallen rank above the Swiss average for quality of life?

With an overall average score of 6.3/10 , Canton St. Gallen sits below the Swiss national average (6.5/10). Its strongest dimension is Education & Culture (8.7/10); its weakest is Annual Sunshine (3.6/10).

Population: 481,164
Municipalities: 75
Largest municipality: St. Gallen

Canton St. Gallen includes 75 communes evaluated by VivaMap. With an average score of 6.3/10, it stands out for Education & Culture (8.7/10) and Nightlife & Dining (8.5/10). The Annual Sunshine criterion (3.6/10) is its main area for improvement. Living in Canton St. Gallen is particularly suited for those seeking excellent access to schools, libraries, and cultural venues.

Canton Average Scores

Noise

8.0

Air Quality

4.6

Public Transport

4.6

Education & Culture

8.7

Nightlife & Dining

8.5

Nature & Green Spaces

6.6

Healthcare

8.4

Taxation

4.2

Annual Sunshine

3.6

National average

Top Communes

Lowest-Ranked Communes

Best Communes by Profile

Family: Bad Ragaz (6.9/10), ideal for families thanks to strong Education & Culture scores.
Young Professional: St. Gallen (6.9/10), ideal for young professionals thanks to strong Public Transport scores.
Retirement: Bad Ragaz (6.7/10), ideal for retirees thanks to strong Nature & Green Spaces scores.
Nature: Amden (7/10), ideal for nature lovers thanks to strong Nature & Green Spaces scores.

Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

Universität St.GallenUniversity

Ostschweizer Fachhochschule Campus BuchsUniversity

Ostschweizer Fachhochschule Campus Rapperswil JonaUniversity

Praxisräume Pflege (N4)University

Fachbereich Gesundheit (N4)University

Praxisräume Pflege (N3)University

PHSG MariabergUniversity

Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen (PHSG) - Standort MariabergUniversity

Public Transport

St. GallenTrain Station

RiethüsliTrain Station

MörschwilTrain Station

St. Margrethen SGTrain Station

Alter ZollTrain Station

SevelenTrain Station

Bad RagazTrain Station

MurgTrain Station

Healthcare Facilities

Kantonsspital St.GallenHospital

Ostschweizer Kinderspital St. GallenHospital

Spital LinthHospital

Psychiatrie St.GallenHospital

Oberwaid Hotel & KlinkHospital

Gesundheitszentrum RorschachHospital

Spital AltstättenHospital

Spital GrabsHospital

Frequently Asked Questions

Which commune in Canton St. Gallen is best for families?

In Canton St. Gallen, Bad Ragaz (6.9/10 on the family profile) leads the ranking. Its strongest scores are in Healthcare and Nightlife & Dining, two criteria that the family profile weights heavily.

Where is taxation lowest in Canton St. Gallen?

Balgach offers the lowest tax burden in Canton St. Gallen (score 5.8/10), 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 St. Gallen have the best public transport?

The best-served communes for public transport in Canton St. Gallen are St. Gallen (7.5/10), Wil (SG) (6.5/10) and Rorschach (6.4/10), based on ARE service-quality classes.

Which is the quietest commune in Canton St. Gallen?

Pfäfers (9.8/10) is the quietest commune in Canton St. Gallen, per the FOEN SonBase model that aggregates road, rail and air noise.

Does Canton St. Gallen rank above the Swiss average for quality of life?

With an overall average score of 6.3/10, Canton St. Gallen sits below the Swiss national average (6.5/10). Its strongest dimension is Education & Culture (8.7/10); its weakest is Annual Sunshine (3.6/10).