Winterthur: population and statistics
Winterthur has a population of 120,741 (2025) across 68.1 km², or 1,774 people per km². It ranks 6 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 120,741 residents
- 68.1 km²
- 1,774 people/km²
- 446 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Winterthur ranks No. 2 by population.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 37° generates about 1,148 kWh a year here.
Winterthur in numbers
Where is Winterthur?
Population of Winterthur over time
Winterthur had 108,268 residents in 2015 and 120,741 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 114,220 |
| 2021 | 115,129 |
| 2022 | 116,906 |
| 2023 | 119,315 |
| 2024 | 120,376 |
| 2025 | 120,741 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Zürich for “Photovoltaic installations”.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Photovoltaic installations”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 9,534 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Seuzach, 4.1 km away.
All indicators for Winterthur
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 | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.8% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 1,544 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 59,027 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 6 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 24.5% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 831 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 24.9% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 919 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 55.2% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,530 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 63.4% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 583 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 19.0% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 605 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 4.6% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 1,476 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 12.1% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 192 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 2,567 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 1 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 616.8 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,568 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 466.1 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 4 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 3,860 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,757 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 8,557 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 8 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 7,653 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 11 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 63.4 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 962 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 64.9% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 970 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 28.9% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 907 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 79,797 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 8 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 660.9 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 235 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 84.6% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 190 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 15.2% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,339 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Winterthur | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 27.1% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 429 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Winterthur
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Winterthur?
Winterthur has 120,741 residents (2025), ranking 6 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Winterthur?
Winterthur covers 68.1 km², with a density of 1,774 people per km².
Is the population of Winterthur growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Winterthur went from 108,268 to 120,741, a change of +11.5%.
Where is Winterthur?
Winterthur is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Winterthur (district). Latitude 47.499, longitude 8.727.
Dwellings: what is the figure for Winterthur?
In Winterthur, “Dwellings” stands at 59,027 (2026), ranking 6 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 990.
Photovoltaic installations: what is the figure for Winterthur?
In Winterthur, “Photovoltaic installations” stands at 2,567 (2026), ranking 1 of 2,108 municipalities; the national median is 103.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Winterthur?
In Winterthur, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 37° produces about 1,148 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Winterthur?
The nearest to Winterthur are Seuzach (4.1 km), Brütten (4.9 km), Neftenbach (5.5 km), Wiesendangen (5.5 km), Hettlingen (5.6 km).