Knonau: population and statistics
Knonau has a population of 2,515 (2025) across 6.5 km², or 388 people per km². It ranks 839 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +19.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,515 residents
- 6.5 km²
- 388 people/km²
- 432 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Knonau ranks No. 111 by population.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: 45.0% in Knonau, compared with an average of 27.3% in Zürich and 24.6% nationally.
District heating: 19.8% in Knonau, compared with an average of 8.1% in Zürich and 7.3% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,162 kWh a year here.
Knonau in numbers
Where is Knonau?
Population of Knonau over time
Knonau had 2,097 residents in 2015 and 2,515 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,369 |
| 2021 | 2,445 |
| 2022 | 2,416 |
| 2023 | 2,454 |
| 2024 | 2,466 |
| 2025 | 2,515 |
Did you know?
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “District heating”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 908 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Rifferswil, 1.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mettmenstetten (5,841 residents), 2.2 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,648 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Knonau
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.1% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 1,618 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 1,103 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 974 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 12.8% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,475 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 45.0% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 61 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 72.4% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 720 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 51.7% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 978 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 4.9% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 1,661 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 20.7% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 515 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 19.8% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 71 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 137 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 811 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,831 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 291 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 17.4 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,125 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 6,918 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,399 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 140 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 1,010 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 122 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 1,033 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 48.5 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 1,566 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 58.2% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 1,482 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 33.6% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 508 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 550 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,123 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 218.7 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 1,492 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 73.3% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 540 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 17.3% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,237 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Knonau | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 19.5% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 864 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Knonau
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Knonau?
Knonau has 2,515 residents (2025), ranking 839 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Knonau?
Knonau covers 6.5 km², with a density of 388 people per km².
Is the population of Knonau growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Knonau went from 2,097 to 2,515, a change of +19.9%.
Where is Knonau?
Knonau is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Affoltern (district). Latitude 47.225, longitude 8.461.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: what is the figure for Knonau?
In Knonau, “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001” stands at 45.0% (2026), ranking 61 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 25.3%.
District heating: what is the figure for Knonau?
In Knonau, “District heating” stands at 19.8% (2026), ranking 71 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Knonau?
In Knonau, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,162 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Knonau?
The nearest to Knonau are Rifferswil (1.0 km), Mettmenstetten (2.2 km), Maschwanden (2.8 km), Steinhausen (3.6 km), Cham (4.9 km).