Rifferswil: population and statistics
Rifferswil has a population of 1,213 (2025) across 6.5 km², or 187 people per km². It ranks 1,319 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +14.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,213 residents
- 6.5 km²
- 187 people/km²
- 481 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Rifferswil ranks No. 137 by population.
District heating: 18.4% in Rifferswil, compared with an average of 8.1% in Zürich and 7.3% nationally.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: 40.7% in Rifferswil, compared with an average of 27.3% in Zürich and 24.6% nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,162 kWh a year here.
Rifferswil in numbers
Where is Rifferswil?
Population of Rifferswil over time
Rifferswil had 1,057 residents in 2015 and 1,213 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,148 |
| 2021 | 1,150 |
| 2022 | 1,149 |
| 2023 | 1,145 |
| 2024 | 1,180 |
| 2025 | 1,213 |
Did you know?
- “District heating”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 910 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Knonau (2,515 residents), 1.0 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 Rifferswil
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 | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.5% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 1,127 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 548 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 1,444 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 34.9% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 414 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 40.7% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 132 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 71.6% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 781 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 42.6% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 1,294 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 7.0% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 1,507 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 29.1% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 277 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 18.4% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 88 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 68 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 1,368 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1,572 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 466 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 11.3 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 1,461 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 9,340 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 908 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 102 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 1,244 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 63 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 1,459 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 51.9 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 1,459 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 68.3% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 660 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 25.4% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 1,226 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 305 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 1,418 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 251.4 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 1,360 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 58.4% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 1,084 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 26.6% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 784 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Rifferswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 11.6% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 1,435 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Rifferswil
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rifferswil?
Rifferswil has 1,213 residents (2025), ranking 1,319 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Rifferswil?
Rifferswil covers 6.5 km², with a density of 187 people per km².
Is the population of Rifferswil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rifferswil went from 1,057 to 1,213, a change of +14.8%.
Where is Rifferswil?
Rifferswil is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Affoltern (district). Latitude 47.233, longitude 8.467.
District heating: what is the figure for Rifferswil?
In Rifferswil, “District heating” stands at 18.4% (2026), ranking 88 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 1.4%.
Dwellings in buildings built since 2001: what is the figure for Rifferswil?
In Rifferswil, “Dwellings in buildings built since 2001” stands at 40.7% (2026), ranking 132 of 1,806 municipalities; the national median is 25.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Rifferswil?
In Rifferswil, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,162 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Rifferswil?
The nearest to Rifferswil are Knonau (1.0 km), Mettmenstetten (1.3 km), Maschwanden (2.9 km), Aeugst am Albis (4.1 km), Steinhausen (4.3 km).