Matthäus is a neighborhood in Basel with 15,168 inhabitants and a surface area of 0.6 square kilometers, making it one of the smaller neighborhoods in the city. It borders directly on the Kleinbasel old town and takes its name from the Matthäus church. The neighborhood was planned as a working-class and commercial district and was built in a relatively short period, resulting in a uniform architectural character.

The most distinctive finding about Matthäus is its exceptionally low share of long-term residents. Only 30.8 percent of inhabitants have lived there for five years or more, the lowest rate of any neighborhood in Basel. This indicates a highly transient population with a constant flow of people moving in and out.

Matthäus is located in Kleinbasel and ranks 17th out of 21 neighborhoods in terms of surface area. With a total population of 15,168, it is the fifth most populous neighborhood. The share of foreign nationals is 50.6 percent, the fifth highest in the city. The youth dependency ratio is 20.6, ranking 16th, while the old-age dependency ratio is 20.5, ranking 20th, meaning the neighborhood has a relatively young population compared to the city average.

Socially and economically, Matthäus stands out for its high levels of social stress. The unemployment rate is 5.1 percent, and the share of welfare recipients is 7.7 percent. Both figures are among the highest in Basel. The average apartment size is 67 square meters, and the share of single-family homes is very low at 7 percent, reflecting the dense, urban character of this former working-class district.