Living in Stans
Stans is a compact municipality in Nidwalden, Switzerland, home to 8,119 people in the German-speaking area. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are early retirees (top 4%, #29 of 798), business owners (top 5%, #41 of 933), climate-conscious movers (top 6%, #47 of 933).
See Stans on the map
Open in NestlyzerGood to know about Stans
- The landscape belongs to the Alps.
- Vierwaldstättersee is 3.0 km away.
- It is part of Greater Lucerne, 12 km from the city centre.
- On the shortest day the sun is up for 8 h 31 min and sets around 16:40; in late June it sets around 21:25.
How Stans ranks
Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in Switzerland. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Detailed module: 28 official Swiss factors (Federal Statistical Office portraits, ESTV tax burden), regional Eurostat health, income and safety figures and geographic measures.
| Profile | Score | In Switzerland | In Nidwalden | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young family | 42 | #555 of 766 | #2 of 5 | Map |
| Low-income household | 0 | #592 of 617 | #6 of 7 | Map |
| Low-income family | 13 | #538 of 579 | #1 of 5 | Map |
| Single parent | 23 | #323 of 339 | #1 of 3 | Map |
| Pensioner couple | 61 | #324 of 933 | #2 of 9 | Map |
| Single pensioner | 48 | #467 of 694 | #1 of 5 | Map |
| Early retiree | 70 | #29 of 798 | #2 of 7 | Map |
| Single professional | 35 | #117 of 349 | #2 of 2 | Map |
| Young professional | 35 | #133 of 398 | #2 of 3 | Map |
| DINKS | not ranked: below the minimum for too few residents | – | Map | |
| Remote worker | 51 | #375 of 398 | #2 of 3 | Map |
| Commuter | 43 | #151 of 875 | #1 of 7 | Map |
| Car-free household | 24 | #171 of 520 | #3 of 5 | Map |
| Student | not ranked: below the minimum for too few residents | – | Map | |
| First-home buyer | 8 | #616 of 687 | #1 of 7 | Map |
| Budget-constrained mover | 11 | #800 of 926 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| Urban lifestyle seeker | 27 | #131 of 398 | #2 of 3 | Map |
| Expat professional | 69 | #23 of 398 | #1 of 3 | Map |
| Healthcare-first mover | 66 | #129 of 718 | #1 of 5 | Map |
| Nature-focused household | 58 | #862 of 1,577 | #8 of 11 | Map |
| Cross-border commuter | not ranked: must-have: a border within 45 km where pay is higher on the other side | – | Map | |
| Outdoor and mountain lover | 72 | #95 of 1,428 | #5 of 11 | Map |
| Rural value seeker | 21 | #1,081 of 1,224 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| High-net-worth mover | 78 | #10 of 399 | #2 of 5 | Map |
| Lottery winner | 82 | #9 of 2,172 | #2 of 11 | Map |
| Climate-resilient relocation | 76 | #47 of 933 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| Coastal living | 74 | #82 of 790 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| Business owner | 76 | #41 of 933 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| Digital native | 30 | #275 of 398 | #2 of 3 | Map |
Strengths and trade-offs
Local context
Stans is the cantonal centre of Nidwalden below the Stanserhorn. It blends a historic town core, central Swiss mountain access and everyday services for the canton.
Compare with Sarnen, Altdorf, Schwyz and Lucerne fringe municipalities.
Watch: It is a regional centre, not a large labour market.
Residents by year
−3.5% from 2019 to 2024. Bars start at zero.
Nearby
- Stansstad 2 km
- Oberdorf (NW) 2 km
- Ennetmoos 3 km
- Ennetbürgen 4 km
- Buochs 4 km
- Dallenwil 5 km
- Hergiswil (NW) 5 km
- Wolfenschiessen 7 km
Data: Swiss FSO regional portraits, ESTV tax burden 2018, Eurostat GISCO LAU; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.