Official Education Data · Canton of Zurich (2025)

Zip-Code Destiny: How Postal Codes Decide High School Graduation.

In Canton Zurich, the share of 19-year-olds earning a Gymnasium Matura ranges from 3.0% in Feuerthalen to 51.8% in Erlenbach. That is a 17-fold divide in direct university access — often between towns just minutes apart.

Cantonal Max Disparity

17.3×

Erlenbach (51.8%) vs. Feuerthalen (3.0%)

Income Correlation

r = 0.85

R² = 72% of the variance explained by municipal mean income

4-km Cliff in Same District

7.1×

Uitikon (48.4%) vs. Schlieren (6.8%) in Dietikon District

Inspect Any Municipality

Search any Zurich commune or tap an example below:

Canton average: 20.3%

Head-to-Head Compare

Compare any two Zurich municipalities to see the exact ratio between them:

First town

Multiplier

—

Second town

All 12 Zurich Districts Compared

On the Gold Coast (Meilen District), 1 in 2.5 teenagers earns a Matura — in Dielsdorf and Andelfingen, only 1 in 9.

Bezirk MeilenTop town: Erlenbach (51.8%)

1800 / 4498 graduates40.0%

Bezirk HorgenTop town: Oberrieden (37.8%)

1151 / 4829 graduates23.8%

Bezirk ZürichTop town: Zürich (Stadt) (22.4%)

3177 / 14159 graduates22.4%

Bezirk AffolternTop town: Wettswil a.A. (36.1%)

500 / 2353 graduates21.2%

Bezirk UsterTop town: Maur (36.5%)

1145 / 5418 graduates21.1%

Bezirk WinterthurTop town: Hettlingen (32.6%)

1281 / 7034 graduates18.2%

Bezirk PfäffikonTop town: Russikon (24.1%)

398 / 2518 graduates15.8%

Bezirk BülachTop town: Eglisau (24.4%)

919 / 6284 graduates14.6%

Bezirk HinwilTop town: Seegräben (26.3%)

588 / 4084 graduates14.4%

Bezirk DietikonTop town: Uitikon (48.4%)

509 / 3543 graduates14.4%

Bezirk AndelfingenTop town: Trüllikon (31.4%)

162 / 1406 graduates11.5%

Bezirk DielsdorfTop town: Neerach (29.4%)

451 / 3957 graduates11.4%

Three Key Takeaways

What the data reveals about educational inequality in Zurich:

1 · Geography

The 4-Kilometer Cliff

Uitikon (48.4%) and Schlieren (6.8%) belong to the same district, separated only by a wooded hill. Over the last decade, their divide widened from 4.4× to 7.1×.

2 · Wealth Link

72% Income Determinism

In the 10 highest-income towns, 43.3% of teenagers graduate from Gymnasium. In the 10 lowest-income towns, only 9.7% do — a 4.5× class divide.

3 · City of Zurich

Zürichberg vs. Schwamendingen

Already at age 12, Zürichberg sends 49.2% of pupils to Gymnasium and only 7% to Sek B/C. Schwamendingen sends just 13.6% to Gymnasium and 37.1% to Sek B/C.

Age-12 Tracking in City of Zurich School Districts

Zürich-Zürichberg49.2% Gymi · 7.0% Sek B/C

Zürich-Waidberg32.7% Gymi · 14.3% Sek B/C

Zürich-Uto24.4% Gymi · 17.9% Sek B/C

Zürich-Letzi21.7% Gymi · 29.2% Sek B/C

Zürich-Limmattal20.0% Gymi · 21.9% Sek B/C

Zürich-Glattal18.1% Gymi · 30.0% Sek B/C

Zürich-Schwamendingen13.6% Gymi · 37.1% Sek B/C

Municipal Ranking

The highest and lowest Gymnasium graduation rates in Canton Zurich:

Bildungsstatistik Kanton Zürich (bista.zh.ch) · Statistisches Amt Kanton Zürich · ckan.opendata.swiss. For information and exploration only — not professional advice. Built from official open data that may be incomplete or out of date. Terms & disclaimer.