Living in Meilen
Meilen is a mid-sized municipality in Zurich, Switzerland, home to 14,754 people in the German-speaking area. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are retired couples (top 1%, #1 of 933), people who put healthcare first (top 1%, #2 of 718), early retirees (top 2%, #9 of 798).
See Meilen on the map
Open in NestlyzerGood to know about Meilen
- It lies on Zürichsee.
- It is part of Greater Zurich, 14 km from the city centre.
- On the shortest day the sun is up for 8 h 28 min and sets around 16:38; in late June it sets around 21:25.
How Meilen ranks
Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in Switzerland. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Detailed module: 28 official Swiss factors (Federal Statistical Office portraits, ESTV tax burden), regional Eurostat health, income and safety figures and geographic measures.
| Profile | Score | In Switzerland | In Zurich | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young family | 56 | #124 of 766 | #10 of 114 | Map |
| Low-income household | 5 | #520 of 617 | #61 of 100 | Map |
| Low-income family | 22 | #476 of 579 | #65 of 100 | Map |
| Single parent | 32 | #277 of 339 | #46 of 69 | Map |
| Pensioner couple | 76 | #1 of 933 | #1 of 116 | Map |
| Single pensioner | 63 | #123 of 694 | #24 of 111 | Map |
| Early retiree | 74 | #9 of 798 | #2 of 108 | Map |
| Single professional | 52 | #51 of 349 | #18 of 63 | Map |
| Young professional | 55 | #54 of 398 | #19 of 72 | Map |
| DINKS | 54 | #32 of 186 | #13 of 35 | Map |
| Remote worker | 60 | #233 of 398 | #20 of 72 | Map |
| Commuter | 71 | #41 of 875 | #14 of 124 | Map |
| Car-free household | 54 | #55 of 520 | #21 of 85 | Map |
| Student | 24 | #130 of 158 | #31 of 32 | Map |
| First-home buyer | 20 | #538 of 687 | #51 of 100 | Map |
| Budget-constrained mover | 15 | #776 of 926 | #74 of 114 | Map |
| Urban lifestyle seeker | 49 | #41 of 398 | #18 of 72 | Map |
| Expat professional | 68 | #42 of 398 | #20 of 72 | Map |
| Healthcare-first mover | 76 | #2 of 718 | #2 of 112 | Map |
| Nature-focused household | 58 | #849 of 1,577 | #76 of 148 | Map |
| Cross-border commuter | not ranked: must-have: a border within 45 km where pay is higher on the other side | – | Map | |
| Outdoor and mountain lover | 65 | #360 of 1,428 | #20 of 142 | Map |
| Rural value seeker | 22 | #1,066 of 1,224 | #81 of 139 | Map |
| High-net-worth mover | 76 | #13 of 399 | #4 of 69 | Map |
| Lottery winner | 78 | #19 of 2,172 | #5 of 162 | Map |
| Climate-resilient relocation | 74 | #122 of 933 | #19 of 116 | Map |
| Coastal living | 75 | #52 of 790 | #8 of 116 | Map |
| Business owner | 79 | #25 of 933 | #13 of 116 | Map |
| Digital native | 41 | #146 of 398 | #32 of 72 | Map |
Strengths and trade-offs
Local context
Meilen sits on the right bank of Lake Zurich, where the lakeside settlement climbs toward the Pfannenstiel ridge. Its identity is split between the old lakeside village, commuter access along the Zurichsee rail corridor, vineyards and wooded slopes above the lake.
The Horgen-Meilen ferry is the cross-lake shortcut to Horgen and the left bank. Zurich, Rapperswil and the Pfannenstiel villages are the natural comparison set.
Watch: Lakeside demand can lift housing costs. Hillside addresses can mean steep walking routes. Ferry and lake access are a practical advantage, not just scenery.
Residents by year
+5.4% from 2019 to 2024. Bars start at zero.
Nearby
- Herrliberg 3 km
- Uetikon am See 3 km
- Horgen 4 km
- Männedorf 4 km
- Egg 5 km
- Erlenbach (ZH) 5 km
- Oberrieden 5 km
- Wädenswil 5 km
Data: Swiss FSO regional portraits, ESTV tax burden 2018, Eurostat GISCO LAU; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.