Wädenswil: population and statistics
Wädenswil has a population of 26,012 (2025) across 17.4 km², or 1,496 people per km². It ranks 35 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 26,012 residents
- 17.4 km²
- 1,496 people/km²
- 417 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Wädenswil ranks No. 7 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,140 kWh a year here.
Wädenswil in numbers
Where is Wädenswil?
Population of Wädenswil over time
Wädenswil had 24,383 residents in 2015 and 26,012 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 24,832 |
| 2021 | 24,952 |
| 2022 | 25,193 |
| 2023 | 25,753 |
| 2024 | 25,704 |
| 2025 | 26,012 |
Did you know?
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Rooftop solar electricity potential”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,436 football pitches.
- Its population density is 6.4 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Männedorf, 3.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Zürich (440,935 residents), 19 km away.
All indicators for Wädenswil
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 | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.3% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 807 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 12,821 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 37 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 21.3% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 998 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 24.4% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 959 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 56.3% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,494 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 56.0% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 833 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 26.4% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 331 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 7.9% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 1,212 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 1.3% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 905 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 554 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 65 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 585.9 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,600 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 120.7 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 52 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 4,641 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,717 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,881 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 46 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,760 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 59 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 67.7 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 800 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 64.8% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 981 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 30.3% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 786 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 10,270 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 91 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 394.8 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 794 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 80.1% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 325 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 15.8% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,302 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Wädenswil | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 24.9% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 535 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Wädenswil
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wädenswil?
Wädenswil has 26,012 residents (2025), ranking 35 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Wädenswil?
Wädenswil covers 17.4 km², with a density of 1,496 people per km².
Is the population of Wädenswil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Wädenswil went from 24,383 to 26,012, a change of +6.7%.
Where is Wädenswil?
Wädenswil is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Horgen (district). Latitude 47.230, longitude 8.672.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Wädenswil?
In Wädenswil, “Dwellings” stands at 12,821 (2026), ranking 37 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Rooftop solar electricity potential: what is the figure for Wädenswil?
In Wädenswil, “Rooftop solar electricity potential” stands at 120.7 GWh/year (2026), ranking 52 of 2,114 municipalities; the national median is 19.0 GWh/year.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Wädenswil?
In Wädenswil, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,140 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Wädenswil?
The nearest to Wädenswil are Männedorf (3.1 km), Richterswil (3.5 km), Uetikon am See (4.1 km), Stäfa (4.7 km), Meilen (5.0 km).