The Richest And Poorest States In Germany (2024)

The Richest And Poorest States In Germany (1)

Germany is a federal republic situated in central Europe. The nation covers an extensive area of 357,104 square km, making it one of the largest European countries. Germany has the highest population among the European Union states with an estimated population of 82 million residents as of 2015. The country’s constitution, adopted on May 24th, 1949, moved authority from the federal government to the individual states that make up the country. For four decades after World War II, Germany was divided into East Germany and West Germany. In 1989, East and West Germany unified after relentless protests, mainly in East Germany. Germany became a federation of 16 states after the unification of the two sides. While the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s richest state by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Hamburg leads regarding GDP per capita. The state of Bremen had the lowest GDP, but the second-highest when looking at the GDP per capita.

Germany’s economy is one of the world’s largest economies. Its massive manufacturing and services industries drive the country’s economy. Germany is third on the list of the world’s biggest exporters and it is known for its high-quality exports. Its economy is projected to grow, driven by thriving motor and electronics industries. However, Germany needs to open up its economy to allow foreigners to invest in the country.

North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia has the highest population among German states at approximately 18 million residents. In 2015, its GDP was €645.6 billion, making it the wealthiest state in Germany. Out of the ten largest cities in Germany, four are situated in North Rhine-Westphalia. Düsseldorf is North Rhine-Westphalia’s capital. The State was formed after the merger of two provinces, namely North Rhine and Westphalia. It was famous for steel and coal deposits in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, North Rhine-Westphalia has an extensive mechanical production industry. More than 37 major corporations conduct their operations from this state. It also has a thriving creative industry with designers and artists excelling in their fields.

Bavaria

Bavaria is Germany’s largest state by land area, covering 70,548 square km. The state had the second-highest GDP in Germany at €549.2 billion in 2015. Bavaria is richer than many countries in the world. It has a large automobile and motorcycle industry with major manufacturers such as Allianz, Audi, and Grundig in the state. Additionally, world-famous companies such as Adidas, Puma, and BMW have their headquarters in Bavaria. Munich is Bavaria’s largest city and its capital.

Bremen

Bremen is Germany’s smallest state, occupying an area of 419 square km. The state is comprised of two cities: Bremerhaven and Bremen. The cities are in two different enclaves in the Northern region of Germany. The two cities lie on the banks of River Weser. Although Bremen is a large port city with advanced shipping facilities, it contributes the least GDP among German states. In 2015, the state had a GDP of €31.6 billion making it the poorest state in Germany. However, it ranks second for GDP per capita.

Saarland

Saarland State is situated in southwest Germany. Its capital city is Saarbrucken. Saarland has a thriving mining industry with rich coal deposits and iron ores. The state also has an agricultural sector that produces vegetables, grains, fruits, and dairy products. Most of the goods manufactured in Saarland are exported to France. Despite the state’s growing economy, it is ranked as the second-poorest state in Germany after Bremen. In 2015, Saarland had a GDP of €35 billion.

The Richest And Poorest States In Germany

RankStatesGDP per capita (EUR€)RankStatesGDP (billion EUR€)Share oftotal GDP (%)
1 Hamburg61,7291 North Rhine-Westphalia645.59021.3
2 Bremen47,6032 Bavaria549.19018.1
3 Bavaria43,0923 Baden-Württemberg460.68715.2
4 Hesse43,0734 Hesse263.4448.7
5 Baden-Württemberg42,7455 Lower Saxony258.5308.5
6 North Rhine-Westphalia36,5096 Rhineland-Palatinate131.9514.4
7 Berlin35,6277 Berlin124.1614.1
8 Saarland35,4098 Saxony112.6583.7
9 Lower Saxony32,8909 Hamburg109.2713.6
10 Rhineland-Palatinate32,81410 Schleswig-Holstein85.6102.8
11 Schleswig-Holstein30,13411 Brandenburg65.2942.2
12 Saxony27,77612 Thuringia56.8111.9
13 Brandenburg26,49313 Saxony-Anhalt56.2171.9
14 Thuringia26,36414 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern39.8691.3
15 Saxony-Anhalt25,19815 Saarland35.0281.2
16 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern24,90916 Bremen31.5901.0

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Benjamin Elisha Sawe in Economics

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The Richest And Poorest States In Germany (2024)

FAQs

What are the poorest states in Germany? ›

While states like Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria did comparatively well, five states have above-average poverty rates: North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Bremen.

What are the richest and poorest regions of Germany? ›

While the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's richest state by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Hamburg leads regarding GDP per capita. The state of Bremen had the lowest GDP, but the second-highest when looking at the GDP per capita. Germany's economy is one of the world's largest economies.

Which is the rich state of Germany? ›

In 2022, the German state of Hamburg recorded the highest per capita purchasing power at 27,606 euros. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in the south rounded up the top three.

What is the poorest city in Germany? ›

The researchers found the highest urban poverty rate in the eastern city of Leipzig. At 25 percent in 2011, that number is still below its peak of 27.2 percent in 2009, though.

What is the poor part of Germany? ›

Poverty in Germany refers to people living in relative poverty in Germany.
...
Statistics.
Bundesland (state)Children on the welfare rolls (percent of all children, in 2015)People on the welfare rolls (percent of all persons, in 2015)
Hamburg20.8%10.6%
Thuringia20.8%10.4%
Brandenburg21.5%12.0%
Saxony22.8%11.8%
13 more rows

Which state is the poorest? ›

Poverty rates were highest in the states of Mississippi (19.58%), Louisiana (18.65%), New Mexico (18.55%), West Virginia (17.10%), Kentucky (16.61%), and Arkansas (16.08%), and they were lowest in the states of New Hampshire (7.42%), Maryland (9.02%), Utah (9.13%), Hawaii (9.26%), and Minnesota (9.33%).

Where do rich people live in Germany? ›

As one of the top financial hubs in the world and the wealthiest city in main Europe, Frankfurt is home to more than 117,000 millionaires, including 14 billionaires. Frankfurt stands out from other big German cities (Berlin, Hamburg) in terms of wealthy populations despite contributing less to the country's GDP.

Is Germany the poorest country in the world? ›

In 2021, Germany was ranked the 20th richest country in the world, measured by GDP per capita. This means that if you add up the value of all the goods and commodities produced in a country and divide the figure by the number of inhabitants, you get $50,700 (€52,200) per person per year in Germany on average.

Why is East Germany still poor? ›

There were several reasons behind the backward economic situation in East Germany. While large sums had been poured into West Germany, especially by the United States, the Soviet Union not only put nothing into the economy of its zone but actually took out large amounts in reparations and occupation costs.

What are the most expensive states to live in Germany? ›

Here are Germany's top ten most expensive cities, based on apartment rents in 2022, according to Statista:
  • Berlin: €15.69 per m2.
  • Stuttgart: €15.31 per m2.
  • Freiburg: €14.88 per m2.
  • Dusseldorf: €14.20 per m2.
  • Mainz: €14.17 per m2.
  • Heidelberg: €14.14 per m2.
  • Hamburg: €14.04 per m2.
  • Darmstadt: €13.84 per m2.
Dec 13, 2022

Is West Germany richer than East? ›

While its per-capita productivity remains lower than that of West Germany, the former East Germany has made major gains since unification. In 1991, per-capita productivity in the former East was less than half (43%) of productivity in the former West.

Which is the richest country USA or Germany? ›

Germany is the fourth largest economy in the world after the United States, China and Japan and the largest economy in Europe.

How much of Germany is homeless? ›

Estimation of the number of homeless people in Germany 1995- 2020. In 2020, there were an estimated 256,000 people in Germany who were homeless, this however, did not include refugees.

What is the dirtiest city in Germany? ›

How polluted is Germany?
2022 Germany cleanest cityBad Hindelang , Bavaria 19
2022 Germany most polluted cityMeppen , Lower Saxony 58
6 days ago

Are there poor neighborhoods in Germany? ›

The given poorest cities include cities in the Ruhr area of western Germany, such as Gelsenkirchen, where almost one in four draws unemployment benefit II. In cities like Essen, Herne, Duisberg and Dortmund, the proportion is around one in five.

Is Germany good country to live? ›

Global Peace Index ranks 163 countries based on their overall level of peacefulness; Germany was ranked 16th in 2022. The crime rate is low, and Germans place a high value on law and order. Some areas are always more dangerous than others, but Germany is generally a very safe place.

Is Germany a rich or a poor country? ›

Germany is one of the world's largest economies and is currently at rank 4. If this is calculated per inhabitant, taking purchasing power parity into account, then Germany ranks 19th in the list of the richest countries. Inflation in Germany in 2022 was around 6.87%.

Which area of Germany has low living cost? ›

Following is the verified list of Top 5 inexpensive Cities in Germany to live:
  • 1# Cost of Living in Bielefeld City of Germany.
  • 2# Cost of Living in Frankfurt City of Germany.
  • 3# Cost of Living in Halle City of Germany.
  • 5# Passau City Germany.
Jan 31, 2023

Which state is richest in USA? ›

New York is the richest state in the US, with a GDP per capita at $96,5k. This means that New York is responsible for around 9% of America's entire economic output, the highest percentage amongst the 50 states.

What are the most rich and poor states? ›

Now, the states perceived as the richest (after consideration for the respective cost of living) are Utah, Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado. The poorest include Hawaii, Oregon, Maine, California and New York.

Which state is more richest? ›

Maharashtra is the richest state in India. The state capital Mumbai is also known as the economic capital of the country.

Where do most Americans live in Germany? ›

Berlin is, of course, the number one place to find expats in Germany. For many, many years, Berlin has been home to international artists. But in recent years, the development of the tech industry has seen a growing number of expats move there.

Who is a millionaire in Germany? ›

As of February 20, 2023, Dieter Schwarz was the wealthiest man in Germany, with an estimated net worth of 39.0 billion U.S. dollars, followed by Klaus-Michael Kuehne .

Which city is best to live in Germany? ›

The best cities in Germany to live in
  • Berlin.
  • Düsseldorf.
  • Frankfurt.
  • Hamburg.
  • Munich.
  • Nürnberg.
  • Stuttgart.
Mar 1, 2023

How bad is poverty in Germany? ›

In Germany, poverty is on the rise.

In 2013, that figure was 15.5% of the total population. In the years since, it has increased to 15.9%. From an outsider's perspective, this view of Germany seems contradictory. According to the World Bank, Germany's poverty rate in 2016 — defined as $1.90 a day in 2011 — was 0%.

Which country is no 1 poor? ›

In the world, the poorest countries are mostly located in Africa and Asia, with Burundi being the poorest country followed by Somalia, Mozambique, Central African Republic, and Madagascar.

Why is poverty so high in Germany? ›

It pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic, the explosion in energy prices and high inflation have exacerbated the poverty in Germany over the past three years. "In 2019, more people in Germany were affected by poverty than ever before," said the authors of the report.

Why is West Germany so rich? ›

The fundamental reason for the quick economic recovery of West Germany can be found in the ordoliberal growth model. Germany had a skilled workforce and a high technological level in 1946, but its capital stock had largely been destroyed during and after the war.

Could people leave East Germany? ›

The East German constitution of 1949 granted citizens a theoretical right to leave the country, though it was hardly respected in practice. Even this limited right was removed in the constitution of 1968 which confined citizens' freedom of movement to the area within the state borders.

How many East Germans left? ›

Between 1945 and 1988, around 4 million East Germans migrated to the West. 3.454 million of them left between 1945 and the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

Is Germany more affordable than the US? ›

When considering the cost of living in Germany vs. the U.S., you'll find that the cost of living in Germany is nearly 19% lower. Munich is the most expensive city in Germany, and yet consumer prices are 32.5% lower than in New York City and 14% lower than in Los Angeles.

What is the richest neighborhood in Germany? ›

According to the index, the most expensive area in Germany is the municipality of Karlsfeld, situated just 12 kilometres from the centre of Munich.

Which city in Germany has the most millionaires? ›

By region, Frankfurt came in second place in Europe, after London. NWW data suggested that the German city has 102.200 HNWIs, 170 centi-millionaires and 16 billionaires.

Is Germany richer than Egypt? ›

Germany has a GDP per capita of $50,900 as of 2020, while in Egypt, the GDP per capita is $12,000 as of 2020.

Is Germany the third richest country? ›

This money, combined with small populations, generates large per capita revenues that the vast majority of countries can never match.
...
The 50 richest countries in the world.
RankCountryAdjusted GDP/capita
19Germany58,784 $
20Iceland58,294 $
21Australia55,949 $
22Finland54,861 $
46 more rows

Which city in the East Germany is growing fastest? ›

Leipzig is currently the fastest growing city in Germany.

Is Germany good or USA? ›

Ans. Germany is an excellent choice if you want affordable education and German universities do not lag much behind US universities in terms of rankings and doing better year by year. US universities are better if you are more concerned about university rankings and want to be surrounded by English speaking people.

Who is richer Germany or China? ›

Germany has a GDP per capita of $50,900 as of 2020, while in China, the GDP per capita is $16,400 as of 2020.

Who is more rich China or USA? ›

The United States is the richest country in the world with the highest GDP, as of 2021. China is the second richest country in the world with a $17.734 trillion GDP.

What country is number 1 for homelessness? ›

Syria has the world's highest homeless rate with one-third – roughly 29.6% – of the country's 22 million population being homeless. Syria continues to have the worst displacement situation in the world.

Which country has the worst homeless problem? ›

List
CountryHomeless (avg. day)Data year
United States582,4622022
Yemen3,858,0002020
Vietnam162,0002020
Zimbabwe1,200,0002013
84 more rows

Is homelessness worse in the US or Europe? ›

You might wonder why homelessness in Europe isn't much worse than in the United States — it's poorer on average, but also more densely populated with higher land costs. Part of the answer is about inequality. The median American is richer than the median resident of any European country.

What are the dirtiest city in America? ›

Among 152 of the biggest cities across the United States, Houston won the No. 1 spot for dirtiest city, followed by Newark, New Jersey, San Bernardino, California, Detroit and Jersey City, New Jersey, according to a study released Thursday by LawnStarter.

What is the funnest city in Germany? ›

Chemnitz can rejoice at being officially named the sunniest city in Germany! Here, the sun shines for an average of 5,2 hours per day. Every day during June and July, the city basks in a glorious nine hours of sunshine - more than any other city!

Do Germans live in apartments or houses? ›

According to the Federal Statistics Office, there are 43 million apartments and homes in Germany and in which the average living space is 92 m². Homeownership stands at 47%, but this figure is much lower in the larger cities and higher in the countryside.

Are poor people still sicker than the rich in Germany? ›

Poor People Are Still Sicker Than The Rich In Germany, Despite Universal Health Care. In Hamburg, Germany, estimated life expectancy in the city's poorer neighborhoods still trails wealthier neighborhoods by 13 years.

What are the rough areas of Germany? ›

10 Most Dangerous Cities in Germany
  • Frankfurt. 800,000 people call the city a river through it home. ...
  • Bremen. The Weser River brings a recreational vibe to Bremen. ...
  • Hamburg. About an hour and a half drive from the Denmark border, Hamburg is the last big city in the north. ...
  • Berlin. ...
  • Cologne. ...
  • Hanover. ...
  • Düsseldorf. ...
  • Saxony-Anhalt.

Which state in Germany has the lowest cost of living? ›

Following is the verified list of Top 5 inexpensive Cities in Germany to live:
  • 1# Cost of Living in Bielefeld City of Germany.
  • 2# Cost of Living in Frankfurt City of Germany.
  • 3# Cost of Living in Halle City of Germany.
  • 5# Passau City Germany.
Jan 31, 2023

Which state is cheapest to live in Germany? ›

5 Cheapest City to Live in Germany in 2023
  • The City of Halle. Halle is one of the cheapest cities to live in Germany. ...
  • Bielefeld. The city of Bielefeld is located in the northeast region of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and has a population of around 350,000 citizens. ...
  • Frankfurt (Oder) ...
  • Krefeld. ...
  • Passau City Germany.
Apr 18, 2023

What is the poorest state in Europe? ›

Ukraine is the poorest country in Europe, with a GNI per capita of $3,500, while Moldova is the second poorest country with $4,600, Albania the third, with $5.200, the Republic of Macedonia comes fourth, with a GNI of $5,700, and Bosnia and Herzegovina the fifth poorest, with $6,100.

Is Texas a rich state? ›

Texas is ranked as the 9th largest economy among nations of the world by GDP, ahead of Canada, South Korea, Russia, and Australia.

Is Germany cheaper than USA? ›

Living costs

Germany is generally cheaper than the USA. However, living in big cities, such as Munich and Hamburg, can be expensive. In general, you'll need around €850 per month to cover your expenses in Germany. This amount includes groceries, health insurance, rent, and other related costs.

Where is it cheap in Germany? ›

Generally speaking, the east of Germany is the cheapest part of the country to live in. That's largely because it's not as developed, has fewer major cities, and is more rural overall.

How much is rent in Germany? ›

What is the average cost of rent in Germany? Average rent costs in Germany range from €300 to €800 per calendar month for a room in shared accommodation and from €500 to €1,346 for a one-bedroom flat.

Which is the most English speaking city in Germany? ›

German cities with best English
  • Karlsruhe.
  • Munich.
  • Dresden.
  • Bremen.
  • Düsseldorf.
  • Bonn.
  • Stuttgart.
  • Hamburg.
Dec 8, 2022

Can Americans buy property in Germany? ›

Unlike in other countries, such as Denmark and Switzerland, there are no restrictions to foreigners to purchase real estate in Germany. Currently, many foreign purchasers acquire properties in large German cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.

What is the poorest white country? ›

  1. Ukraine. With a per capita GNI of $3,540, Ukraine is the poorest country in Europe as of 2020. ...
  2. Georgia. Georgia posted a GNI per capita of $4,290 in 2020, lower than any European country except Ukraine. ...
  3. Kosovo. ...
  4. Moldova. ...
  5. Albania. ...
  6. North Macedonia. ...
  7. Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...
  8. Belarus.

Which country is richest in Europe? ›

Luxembourg, the richest country in Europe

Luxembourg has a per capita GDP of $128,820 (IMF, 2023), making it the wealthiest country in Europe. The country is famous for its strong financial sector. Many international banks and investment firms are based in the capital of Luxembourg.

What is the poorest capital city in Europe? ›

For Bratislava, it means that it is now the second-poorest EU capital after Sofia.

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