These factories attracted many foreign workers to Rüti, but their operations ceased in 2002.

[1] The former municipal boundaries of Rüti, as of 2006, encompassed an area of 6.2 km2 (2.4 sq mi).

Of the rest of the land, 4.9% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (13.9%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).

[4] Rüti is located on the Hauptstrasse 17, which runs the length of the canton of Glarus before climbing the Klausen Pass into the canton of Uri, as well as on the Weesen to Linthal railway line that parallels the main road and the Linth river through Glarus.

The high alpine Klausen Pass is normally only open to traffic between June and September, and for the rest of the year the road and railway up the valley form the only access to the village.

Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (75.7%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 8.1%) and Italian being third ( 4.1%).