Rosental leads Basel in foreign nationals at 57.6 percent.
July 4, 2026Rosental is a mid-sized Basel neighbourhood with 7,770 residents, notable for having the highest proportion of foreign nationals in the city at 57.6 percent. It also has a very young population, the lowest old-age dependency ratio in Basel, and a highly transient community with the second-lowest rate of long-term residents.
Rosental is an average-sized neighbourhood of 0.6 square kilometres, ranking 16th in size among Basel's neighbourhoods. It is home to 7,770 inhabitants.
The most distinctive finding about Rosental is that it has the highest share of foreign nationals of any neighbourhood in Basel, at 57.6 percent. This is far above the city average and marks Rosental as the most international quarter in the canton.
Rosental is located in the eastern part of Basel, near the German border. With a surface area of 0.6 square kilometres, it is the 16th largest neighbourhood. The population is relatively young: the youth dependency ratio of 28.0 ranks 8th highest, while the old-age dependency ratio of 13.4 is the lowest in the entire city, meaning very few elderly residents compared to working-age adults.
Socially and economically, Rosental stands out for its high proportion of foreign residents and its low rate of long-term residents. Only 19.2 percent of inhabitants have lived there for five years or more, the second-lowest rate in Basel, indicating a highly transient population. The unemployment rate is 5.1 percent, and the share of welfare recipients is 5.8 percent, both somewhat above the city average. The Gymnasium attendance rate of 29.3 percent is close to the city norm, suggesting a mix of educational backgrounds.
Table 1: Summary of Neighbourhood Indicators for Rosental 2024
| Metric | Unit | Value | rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welfare recipient rate | % | 5.8 | 16 |
| Share of foreign nationals | % | 57.6 | 21 |
| Share of persons living alone | % | 23.2 | 8 |
| Gymnasium attendance rate [%] | % | 29.3 | 9 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | % | 13.4 | 1 |
| Share of long-term residents | % | 19.2 | 1 |
| Youth dependency ratio | % | 28.0 | 14 |
| Share of single-family homes | % | 6.3 | 3 |
| Share of green space | % | 15.5 | 4 |
| Floor space per apartment | m² | 70.3 | 8 |
| Living space per person (m²) | m² | 35.4 | 3 |
| Unemployment rate | % | 5.1 | 18 |
Figure 1: Location of Rosental
Figure 2: Squaremeter living area per capita in Basel-Stadt
Figure 3: Radar Chart of Neighborhood-Indicators for Rosental
Figure 4: Ranking of Old age Dependecy Rate
Additional resources: Wohnviertel-App, Wohnviertel (bs.ch)
🤖 This text was generated with the assistance of AI. All quantitative statements are derived directly from the dataset listed under Data Source.