Rafz: population and statistics
Rafz has a population of 4,792 (2025) across 10.7 km², or 449 people per km². It ranks 460 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,792 residents
- 10.7 km²
- 449 people/km²
- 419 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Rafz ranks No. 82 by population.
Heat pumps as main heating: 48.2% in Rafz, compared with an average of 20.2% in Zürich and 15.5% nationally.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: 38.7% in Rafz, compared with an average of 27.3% in Zürich and 24.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,159 kWh a year here.
Rafz in numbers
Where is Rafz?
Population of Rafz over time
Rafz had 4,344 residents in 2015 and 4,792 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,628 |
| 2021 | 4,676 |
| 2022 | 4,672 |
| 2023 | 4,766 |
| 2024 | 4,769 |
| 2025 | 4,792 |
Did you know?
- “Heat pumps as main heating”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,496 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Wil (ZH), 2.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Neuhausen am Rheinfall (12,198 residents), 9.7 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,636 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Rafz
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 | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.9% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 863 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 2,286 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 528 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 20.2% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,051 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 38.7% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 201 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 67.3% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,025 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 30.1% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 1,635 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 48.2% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 25 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 6.1% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 1,352 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 13.9% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 157 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 181 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 593 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,255 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 773 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 38.2 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 499 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 7,980 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,176 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 264 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 581 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 266 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 567 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 55.5 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 1,324 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 65.0% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 961 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 30.1% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 811 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 1,644 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 570 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 343.1 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 977 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 58.5% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 1,080 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 31.0% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 586 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Rafz | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 23.6% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 586 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Rafz
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rafz?
Rafz has 4,792 residents (2025), ranking 460 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Rafz?
Rafz covers 10.7 km², with a density of 449 people per km².
Is the population of Rafz growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rafz went from 4,344 to 4,792, a change of +10.3%.
Where is Rafz?
Rafz is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Bülach (district). Latitude 47.612, longitude 8.541.
Heat pumps as main heating: what is the figure for Rafz?
In Rafz, “Heat pumps as main heating” stands at 48.2% (2026), ranking 25 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 13.7%.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: what is the figure for Rafz?
In Rafz, “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001” stands at 38.7% (2026), ranking 201 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 25.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Rafz?
In Rafz, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,159 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Rafz?
The nearest to Rafz are Wil (ZH) (2.6 km), Hüntwangen (3.9 km), Eglisau (4.5 km), Buchberg (5.1 km), Rüdlingen (5.4 km).