The country has a more flexible labor market than neighboring countries and the unemployment rate is very low. In 2016, the median gross monthly salary was CHF 6502 (equivalent to $6597 per month), enough to cover the high cost of living. Although 61% of the population earned less than the average income, income inequality is relatively low, placing Switzerland in the top 20 countries for income equality.
About 8.2% of the population lives below the national poverty line, defined in Switzerland as earning less than CHF 3990 per month for a household of two adults and two children, and another 15% are at risk of poverty - finding a job is considered a way out of poverty.
