Which lakeside communities on Lake Constance offer the lowest tax rates?

The 3-point orientation

• With a tax rate of 30%, Warth-Weiningen holds the lowest cantonal record -- for the eighth year in a row. Horn (34%) and Tägerwilen (36%) follow directly behind.
• Six of the ten most tax-efficient municipalities in the canton of Thurgau are located on Lake Constance or in the district of Kreuzlingen -- the proximity to the lake correlates strongly with low tax rates.
• The tax rate alone says little: The total tax burden from municipal, cantonal and federal taxes is decisive -- in Horn, Ermatingen and Salenstein, this is below 240%.

The ranking: The tax-cheapest municipalities on Lake Constance

The following overview shows the municipalities with the lowest tax rates in the canton of Thurgau, with a particular focus on lake communities on Lake Constance. The figures relate to the 2025/2026 tax year.

The ranking reveals a remarkable spread: There are 42 percentage points between Warth-Weiningen (30%) and Arbon (72%) -- with a taxable income of CHF 150,000, this corresponds to an annual difference of several thousand francs. And both municipalities are in the same canton.

Warth-Weiningen: Why a small community is moving away from everyone

The Warth-Weiningen case is instructive because it shows how tax policy works in Switzerland. The municipality with just under 2,500 inhabitants has kept its tax rate at 30 percent for eight years -- by far the lowest figure in the canton of Thurgau. This is not achieved through austerity alone, but through a combination of manageable infrastructure, low social spending and a tax base that is profitable despite a small population.

However, Warth-Weiningen is not located on Lake Constance, but in the district of Frauenfeld an der Thur. It is a special case -- the actual maritime communities start in the ranking in places behind.

Lake Constance communities: Why the lake favours low taxes

It is no coincidence that tax rates are lower on Lake Constance than in the hinterland. It is the result of a self-reinforcing cycle: The attractive lakeside location attracts high-income residents. High tax income per capita enables a low tax rate. The low tax rate in turn makes the municipality even more attractive -- and so the wheel keeps turning.

In Horn (34%), for example, the total tax burden is below 240 percent -- a figure that stands out even in the tax-friendly canton of Thurgau. The community on the eastern shore of Lake Constance combines lakeside location, good connections to Rorschach and St. Gallen, and a well-maintained townscape. The situation is similar in Ermatingen and Salenstein on the Untersee, where the total load is also below the 240 percent mark.

Tägerwilen (36%) benefits from its location right on the border with Constance -- a locational advantage that opens up shopping tourism, cultural offerings and the job market on the German side without giving up the tax advantages of Swiss residence. Bottighofen (37%) and Münsterlingen (37%) complete the circle of tax-friendly maritime communities in the Kreuzlingen district.

Arbon: Why the largest maritime community has the highest tax rate

At the other end of the spectrum, Arbon has a tax rate of 72 percent -- the highest in the entire canton. The city on Lake Constance shows that lakeside location alone is no guarantee of low taxes. As a former industrial town, Arbon has a different social structure than the wealthy villa districts in Bottighofen or Horn. Higher social spending, a wider infrastructure and a less concentrated tax base result in a tax rate that is more than twice as high as that of the neighboring community.

Stability in the system: Little movement in tax feet

A remarkable detail of the Thurgau tax landscape is its stability. In 2025, 68 out of 80 municipalities remained at their previous tax rate. Nine municipalities raised it, three lowered it. This means that the ranking only changes marginally from year to year. Anyone moving to a tax-friendly municipality can assume with a high degree of probability that the tax advantage will last for years.

For commuter families and newcomers, this is an important signal: Tax planning can be based on a relatively stable basis. Drastic increases are rare and are usually due to extraordinary investments or changes in social security contributions.

More than taxes: What really counts when choosing a place of residence

The tax rate is a weighty argument, but it is not the only one. Anyone who moves simply because of taxes overlooks factors that are also important in the long term:

• Real estate prices: In tax-friendly municipalities, property prices are often higher -- which partially compensates for the tax advantage. In Bottighofen or Horn, prices per square meter are well above the cantonal average.
• Pendulum distance: A low tax rate is of little use if the daily commute takes one hour longer. Commuting costs -- in francs and lifetime -- must be offset.
• School quality: For families, school offerings are at least as important as the tax bill. Larger communities often offer more school choices and childcare services.
• Infrastructure and supply: Small communities such as Dozwil or Neunforn have low taxes, but also fewer shopping opportunities, medical practices and public transport connections.
• Social connection: Anyone moving to a small, mature community must adapt to a different neighborhood dynamic than in a city. Social connections take time.
• Total tax burden: The municipal tax rate is only part of the bill. Cantonal and federal taxes, church tax and any property taxes must be included.

Common misconceptions

• “30 percent tax rate means I pay 30 percent tax.” -- The tax rate is a multiplier on the simple state tax, not the effective tax rate. The actual tax burden depends on income, assets and numerous deductions.
• “All lakeside municipalities are tax-friendly.” -- Arbon am Bodensee has the highest tax rate in the canton at 72%. Lakeside location alone does not guarantee low taxes -- the social structure and municipal finances are decisive.
• “Low taxes mean that the municipality saves on infrastructure.” -- In many cases, high per capita tax revenues enable both a low tax rate and a good infrastructure. The low sentence is an expression of prosperity, not of frugality.

Conclusion: Low taxes at sea -- an advantage with conditions

The lakeside communities on Lake Constance offer a rare combination in Switzerland: attractive residential areas, moderate taxes and stability that allows long-term planning. Anyone who weighs the tax rate as one factor among several -- and not as the sole criterion -- makes a well-founded decision by moving to Lake Constance. The figures speak for themselves: Warth-Weiningen with 30%, Horn with 34%, Tägerwilen with 36% -- these are figures that stand the test of national standards. It is crucial that you make the overall calculation: real estate prices, commuter costs, quality of life and taxes together form the complete picture.

Glossary on tax rates on Lake Constance

• Tax rate: Percentage by which the simple state tax is multiplied to calculate the municipal tax. Varies from municipality to municipality.
• Simple state tax: Base tax amount resulting from income and assets under cantonal tax law -- the tax rate is applied to this.
• Total tax burden: Total of municipal, cantonal and federal taxes as well as church tax, expressed as a percentage of simple state tax.
• tax base: Total taxable income and wealth in a municipality -- the higher, the more income with the same tax rate.
• Per capita tax revenue: Tax revenue of a municipality divided by the number of inhabitants -- an indicator of the prosperity of the population.
• Kreuzlingen District: Thurgau administrative district on western Lake Constance, in which six of the ten most tax-favorable municipalities are located.
• Real estate tax: Cantonal or municipal tax on the property value of land and buildings -- in addition to income and wealth tax.