Hinwil has an area of 22.3 km² (8.6 sq mi).
 Of this area, 53.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 26.8% is forested.
 Of the rest of the land, 17.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (1.7%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).
 In 1996 housing and buildings made up 11.5% of the total area, while transportation infrastructure made up the rest (6.1%).
 Of the total unproductive area, water (streams and lakes) made up 0.4% of the area.
 As of 2007 14% of the total municipal area was undergoing some type of construction.

The municipality is located in the Zürcher Oberland on the Bachtel mountain.
 It was formed in 1798 from the parish of the same name.
 It includes four independent villages; Hinwil, Ringwil, Wernetshausen and Hadlikon.
 The hamlets of Bossikon, Erlosen and Girenbad as well as about one hundred individual farms make up the rest of the municipality.
Hinwil has an area of 22.3 km² (8.6 sq mi).  Of this area, 53.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 26.8% is forested.  Of the rest of the land, 17.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (1.7%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).  In 1996 housing and buildings made up 11.5% of the total area, while transportation infrastructure made up the rest (6.1%).  Of the total unproductive area, water (streams and lakes) made up 0.4% of the area.  As of 2007 14% of the total municipal area was undergoing some type of construction.
The municipality is located in the Zürcher Oberland on the Bachtel mountain.  It was formed in 1798 from the parish of the same name.  It includes four independent villages; Hinwil, Ringwil, Wernetshausen and Hadlikon.  The hamlets of Bossikon, Erlosen and Girenbad as well as about one hundred individual farms make up the rest of the municipality.
Hinwil