Data / Rankings / Population density / Regions of Germany (NUTS 2)

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2) by population density

Berlin had the highest population density of 38 regions in 2017, at 4,248.4 inhabitants per km². Mecklenburg-Vorpommern had the lowest, at 71.4 inhabitants per km². The median was 217.4 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Germany was 234 inhabitants per km². Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest4,248.4Berlin
Lowest71.4Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Median217.438 regions
Germany234History

All regions, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

BerlinBerlin: 4,248.4 inhabitants per km²4,248.4HamburgHamburg: 2,564.1 inhabitants per km²2,564.1BremenBremen: 1,738.9 inhabitants per km²1,738.9DüsseldorfDüsseldorf: 1,004.8 inhabitants per km²1,004.8KölnKöln: 609.7 inhabitants per km²609.7DarmstadtDarmstadt: 536.1 inhabitants per km²536.1ArnsbergArnsberg: 449.5 inhabitants per km²449.5KarlsruheKarlsruhe: 406.3 inhabitants per km²406.3StuttgartStuttgart: 389.8 inhabitants per km²389.8SaarlandSaarland: 388.1 inhabitants per km²388.1MünsterMünster: 379.6 inhabitants per km²379.6DetmoldDetmold: 316.1 inhabitants per km²316.1Rheinhessen-PfalzRheinhessen-Pfalz: 301.4 inhabitants per km²301.4OberbayernOberbayern: 270.1 inhabitants per km²270.1LeipzigLeipzig: 264.9 inhabitants per km²264.9MittelfrankenMittelfranken: 243.3 inhabitants per km²243.3FreiburgFreiburg: 242.6 inhabitants per km²242.6HannoverHannover: 238.2 inhabitants per km²238.2ChemnitzChemnitz: 222.7 inhabitants per km²222.7TübingenTübingen: 212 inhabitants per km²212DresdenDresden: 205.9 inhabitants per km²205.9BraunschweigBraunschweig: 197.3 inhabitants per km²197.3GießenGießen: 194.3 inhabitants per km²194.3SchwabenSchwaben: 188.7 inhabitants per km²188.7Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein: 187.3 inhabitants per km²187.3KoblenzKoblenz: 186.1 inhabitants per km²186.1Weser-EmsWeser-Ems: 168.6 inhabitants per km²168.6UnterfrankenUnterfranken: 154.4 inhabitants per km²154.4OberfrankenOberfranken: 147.5 inhabitants per km²147.5KasselKassel: 147.4 inhabitants per km²147.4ThüringenThüringen: 133.5 inhabitants per km²133.5NiederbayernNiederbayern: 119.4 inhabitants per km²119.4OberpfalzOberpfalz: 114.2 inhabitants per km²114.2LüneburgLüneburg: 110.8 inhabitants per km²110.8Sachsen-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt: 110.1 inhabitants per km²110.1TrierTrier: 107.9 inhabitants per km²107.9BrandenburgBrandenburg: 86.1 inhabitants per km²86.1Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern: 71.4 inhabitants per km²71.4
inhabitants per km². Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2017
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2016
1Berlin4,248.4+1.3%
2Hamburg2,564.1+1.2%
3Bremen1,738.9+0.7%
4Düsseldorf1,004.8+0.2%
5Köln609.7+0.3%
6Darmstadt536.1+0.7%
7Arnsberg449.5-0.2%
8Karlsruhe406.3+0.6%
9Stuttgart389.8+0.7%
10Saarland388.1-0.1%
11Münster379.6+0.1%
12Detmold316.1-0.1%
13Rheinhessen-Pfalz301.4+0.5%
14Oberbayern270.1+0.7%
15Leipzig264.9+1%
16Mittelfranken243.3+0.6%
17Freiburg242.6+0.7%
18Hannover238.2+0.3%
19Chemnitz222.7-0.7%
20Tübingen212+0.7%
21Dresden205.9-0.1%
22Braunschweig197.3-0.1%
23Gießen194.3+0.3%
24Schwaben188.7+0.7%
25Schleswig-Holstein187.3+0.5%
26Koblenz186.1+0.2%
27Weser-Ems168.6+0.4%
28Unterfranken154.4+0.3%
29Oberfranken147.5+0.3%
30Kassel147.4+0.2%
31Thüringen133.5-0.4%
32Niederbayern119.4+0.8%
33Oberpfalz114.2+0.5%
34Lüneburg110.8+0.2%
35Sachsen-Anhalt110.1-0.5%
36Trier107.9-0.4%
37Brandenburg86.1+0.3%
38Mecklenburg-Vorpommern71.40%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the regions are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Population density by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3dens). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_d3dens/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which region has the highest population density?

Berlin, with 4,248.4 inhabitants per km² in 2017, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest population density?

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with 71.4 inhabitants per km² in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Population density by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3dens). Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Population density: other rankings

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2): more rankings