Bern

Bern is Switzerland's second-largest canton by population and by economic output, and it contains the federal city. Its 1,076,127 residents produced GDP of CHF 89.4 billion in 2022, 11.3% of the Swiss total, and GDP per head of CHF 85,151 ranks 9th among the cantons. Bern counts 677,492 jobs and 70,948 enterprises, second only to Zurich on both counts, but its employment growth since 2019 (+4.3%) has trailed the Swiss figure of 6.7%.

The structure reflects the seat of federal government. Public administration provides 6.9% of jobs, the highest share of any canton, and the federal administration, SBB, Swiss Post and Swisscom (in Ittigen) are all based in or around the city of Bern. Health and social care is the largest sector at 16.2%, led by the Insel Gruppe. The canton is also more rural than its capital suggests: agriculture, forestry and fishing still employ 30,870 people. Industrial employers include CSL Behring's plasma-medicine plant in Bern, Ypsomed in Burgdorf, Wander (Ovomaltine) in Neuenegg and the precision and watch industry around Biel/Bienne, where Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne is located.

Bern has the highest maximum effective corporate tax rate in KPMG's 2026 comparison, at 20.54%, and a top income tax rate of 40.85%. Unemployment is below the national level: 2.2% in August 2026 against 3.0% for Switzerland. Since 1 January 2026 the town of Moutier belongs to the canton of Jura. Following the Federal Statistical Office's rule, the 2024 and 2025 figures on this page still count Moutier in Bern; the move takes 7,256 residents (2024) and 3,689 jobs (2023) out of the canton's totals.