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Quality of life in Rafz (Zurich): scores, review and neighborhoods

6.2/ 10
Good
Population
4,223
Commune type
Village

Living in Rafz, a commune of 4223 inhabitants in Canton Zurich. With an overall score of 6.2/10, this commune is attractive for quality of life in Switzerland. It stands out for Noise (9.4/10) and Nightlife & Dining (7.9/10). Its score is below the cantonal average.

Scorecard

Noise
9.4
Air Quality
4.6
Public Transport
3.1
Education & Culture
7.7
Nightlife & Dining
7.9
Nature & Green Spaces
7.8
Healthcare
6.6
Taxation
5.4
Annual Sunshine
3.7
Cantonal average

These scores summarise the living environment where residents actually live, not across the whole municipal territory. The map, by contrast, colours the territory: a highly rated commune can still show large, often uninhabited areas with weaker values.

Recommended Profiles

Young Professional
Good
mediantop
Family
Good
mediantop
Retirement
Good
mediantop
Nature
Fair
mediantop

For families looking to settle in Switzerland, Rafz achieves a compatibility score of 6.4/10. Key strengths for this profile include Education & Culture and Noise. The Young Professional profile (5.9/10) is the weakest of the four, while still sitting above the Swiss median.

Strengths: Rafz excels in Noise (9.4/10, a quiet environment, ideal for rest and focus), Nightlife & Dining (7.9/10, a rich selection of restaurants, bars, and entertainment), Nature & Green Spaces (7.8/10, a green environment with many accessible green spaces).

Areas to consider: Lower scores are noted for Public Transport (3.1/10, limited public transport connections), Annual Sunshine (3.7/10), Air Quality (4.6/10, degraded air quality from traffic emissions).

Transaction prices in Rafz

Rolling median of sales from 2021 to 2025

Detached house

1’230’000 CHF

middle half of sales: 980’000 – 1’400’000 · 53 sales

Owner-occupied flat

812’500 CHF

middle half of sales: 729’250 – 1’051’250 · 108 sales

Source: property transfer statistics, Canton of Zurich (land registries and notaries). Actual sale prices, not an estimate.

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Key Infrastructure

Education & Culture

OrtsmuseumMuseum
Gemeindebibliothek RafzLibrary
Schulhaus GötzeSchool
SchalmenackerSchool

Public Transport

RafzTrain Station
Rafz PostBus Stop
Rafz BahnhofBus Stop
Rafz FriedhofBus Stop
Pflegeheim PeterackerBus Stop

Healthcare Facilities

Ärztezentrum RafzDoctor

Guides to read for this area

Four guides by lifestyle profile and three analyses of this area's strongest criteria.

By lifestyle profile

Family
Where to Live in Schaffhausen as a Family
Young Professional
Where to Live in Schaffhausen as a Young Professional
Retirement
Where to Live in Schaffhausen in Retirement
Nature
Where to Live in Schaffhausen Close to Nature
Explore the map for more details →

Considering buying property in Rafz or moving to Canton Zurich? Our interactive map lets you explore quality of life at the neighborhood level and compare with nearby communes.

Frequently asked questions about Rafz

What's it like to live in Rafz? Resident impressions and quality of life
Compared with Wil (ZH), Rüdlingen and Buchberg, Rafz stands out most for its very low noise exposure, scoring 9.4, and strong education access at 7.7. Daily life also benefits from good restaurant availability (7.9) and nature access (7.8). By contrast, the weaker side is transport, at just 3.1, alongside modest sunshine (3.7) and air quality (4.6), so car reliance may matter more here. Fiscal attractiveness sits mid-range at 5.4, with healthcare at 6.6. Overall, Rafz reads as a quieter, family-oriented commune within the Schaffhausen agglomeration, trading some connectivity and climate comfort for calm and schooling. Explore the map details to see how each dimension compares across the surrounding communes.
How sunny and clean is the air in Rafz?
Rafz records notably low scores for sunshine at 3.7 and air quality at 4.6, placing it below Wil (ZH), Rüdlingen, and Buchberg in these respects. Meanwhile, its strongest dimensions are noise at 9.4 and dining at 7.9, with nature close behind at 7.8. Transport, by contrast, sits at just 3.1, the weakest value in the profile. Education reaches 7.7 and healthcare 6.6, while fiscal matters score 5.4. So while the commune offers quiet surroundings and green space, residents should expect limited sunshine and comparatively poorer air than neighbouring areas. Explore the full score breakdown for Rafz on the map to see how each dimension compares.
How well-connected is Rafz? Transport, schools, dining
Rafz is better connected than its neighbours Wil (ZH), Rüdlingen and Buchberg, though its transport score of 3.1 remains modest, with only basic road and rail links. Education is a relative strength at 7.7, and dining scores 7.9, suggesting reasonable local options. Meanwhile, air quality sits at 4.6 and sunshine at 3.7, both weaker dimensions. Noise is notably low at 9.4, and nature reaches 7.8. Healthcare (6.6) and fiscal attractiveness (5.4) fall in between. Explore the map for full details on how each dimension shapes daily life in Rafz.
What are the neighboring communes of Rafz and how big is it?
Rafz, home to 4,223 residents, sits in the Schaffhausen agglomeration and borders Wil (ZH), Rüdlingen, and Buchberg. Compared with those neighbors, it stands out most for its quiet setting, scoring 9.4 on noise, alongside solid education at 7.7 and dining at 7.9. By contrast, its transport score of 3.1 is modest, and sunshine reaches only 3.7, while air quality sits at 4.6. Fiscal attractiveness comes in at 5.4, with nature at 7.8 and healthcare at 6.6. Meanwhile, the population of roughly four thousand keeps the commune compact. Explore the map to see how Rafz and its surroundings compare in more detail.
Is Rafz a tax-friendly municipality?
Compared with Wil (ZH), Rüdlingen, and Buchberg, Rafz sits in the middle on taxation. Its fiscal attractiveness score of 5.4 is moderate, weaker than its standout strengths. Notably, Rafz performs best on noise (9.4) and dining (7.9), while education (7.7) and nature (7.8) are also solid. By contrast, transport (3.1) and sunshine (3.7) are the weakest dimensions, with air quality (4.6) also low. So while Rafz is not among the most tax-friendly communes, its quiet setting and local amenities may offset that for some residents. Explore the full score breakdown on the map to see how it fits your priorities.

Neighboring communes of Rafz

Demographic profile

Age structure

0–19 years 21 %20–64 years 61.7 %65 and over 17.3 %
Density
436 inhab./km²
Change over 10 yrs
+15.8 %
Vacant housing
1.1 %
New dwellings
8.3 per 1,000 inhab.
Social assistance
1.2 %
Tertiary employment
48.3 %

Land use

Built-up area 16.7 %Agricultural land 50 %Forest 33.2 %

Source: FSO, Regional portraits of municipalities, 2021

Information

Canton
Zurich (ZH)
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland
Coordinates
47.6138, 8.5436
BFS Number
67
Last updated
7 October 2026

Data: FSO, geo.admin.ch, OSM. Scores normalised 0-10

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