NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population

Name: NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population, 2016
Creator: Eurostat, European Commission
License: Eurostat reuse policy (commercial and non-commercial reuse, attribution required)

Berlin had the highest population of 400 areas in 2016, at 3.52 million. Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt had the lowest, at 34,260. The median was 153,625 and the figure for Germany was 82.18 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,520,031Berlin

Lowest34,260Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt

Median153,625400 areas

Germany82,175,684History

Top 40 areas, 2016

CSV Chart (SVG)

persons. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

Rank	Areas	2016 persons	Change on 2015
1	Berlin	3,520,031	+1.4%
2	Hamburg	1,787,408	+1.4%
3	München, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,450,381	+1.5%
4	Region Hannover	1,144,481	+1.5%
5	Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,060,582	+1.3%
6	Frankfurt am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	732,688	+2.1%
7	Stuttgart, Stadtkreis	623,738	+1.8%
8	Recklinghausen	617,807	+0.8%
9	Düsseldorf, Kreisfreie Stadt	612,178	+1.3%
10	Rhein-Sieg-Kreis	596,213	+1.8%
11	Dortmund, Kreisfreie Stadt	586,181	+1%
12	Essen, Kreisfreie Stadt	582,624	+1.5%
13	Leipzig, Kreisfreie Stadt	560,472	+2.9%
14	Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt	557,464	+1%
15	Städteregion Aachen	553,922	+1.1%
16	Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt	543,825	+1.4%
17	Rhein-Neckar-Kreis	541,859	+1.3%
18	Ludwigsburg	534,074	+1.5%
19	Esslingen	524,127	+1.4%
20	Nürnberg, Kreisfreie Stadt	509,975	+1.8%
21	Duisburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	491,231	+1.2%
22	Mettmann	483,279	+1.2%
23	Rhein-Erft-Kreis	466,657	+1.6%
24	Wesel	462,664	+1.2%
25	Rhein-Kreis Neuss	450,026	+1.7%
26	Steinfurt	443,374	+1.4%
27	Karlsruhe, Landkreis	435,841	+1%
28	Ortenaukreis	420,106	+1.1%
29	Rems-Murr-Kreis	419,456	+1.3%
30	Märkischer Kreis	416,171	+0.6%
31	Main-Kinzig-Kreis	411,956	+1.1%
32	Unna	396,035	+1.1%
33	Böblingen	381,281	+1.9%
34	Borken	369,666	+1.2%
35	Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt	364,742	+0.8%
36	Gütersloh	360,642	+1.7%
37	Osnabrück, Landkreis	358,079	+1.9%
38	Lippe	350,750	+1.6%
39	Wuppertal, Kreisfreie Stadt	350,046	+1.3%
40	Erzgebirgskreis	347,665	-0.5%
41	Offenbach, Landkreis	347,357	+1.7%
42	München, Landkreis	340,003	+2.2%
43	Heilbronn, Landkreis	334,388	+1.6%
44	Bielefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	333,090	+1%
45	Göttingen	329,538	+1.7%
46	Regionalverband Saarbrücken	327,380	+0.5%
47	Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis	325,954	+0.9%
48	Zwickau	324,534	-0.2%
49	Emsland	319,488	+1.2%
50	Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt	318,809	+1.5%
51	Minden-Lübbecke	313,050	+1.2%
52	Ostalbkreis	312,650	+1.4%
53	Mittelsachsen	312,450	-0.1%
54	Kleve	310,337	+1.8%
55	Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt	310,039	+2.6%
56	Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis	307,755	+2.6%
57	Pinneberg	307,471	+1.1%
58	Bautzen	306,273	-0.1%
59	Mannheim, Stadtkreis	305,780	+2%
60	Paderborn	304,332	+1.8%
61	Soest	302,995	+2.1%
62	Wetteraukreis	301,931	+1.5%
63	Viersen	297,661	+0.9%
64	Darmstadt-Dieburg	292,773	+1.7%
65	Augsburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	286,374	+1.9%
66	Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis	282,729	+1.2%
67	Reutlingen	282,113	+1.5%
68	Siegen-Wittgenstein	280,800	+1.8%
69	Konstanz	280,288	+1.6%
70	Ravensburg	279,296	+1.4%
71	Warendorf	277,431	+1.5%
72	Hildesheim	277,055	+0.9%
73	Wiesbaden, Kreisfreie Stadt	276,218	+0.4%
74	Oberbergischer Kreis	273,452	+1%
75	Rendsburg-Eckernförde	270,378	+0.7%
76	Segeberg	267,503	+1%
77	Bergstraße	266,928	+1.2%
78	Groß-Gerau	266,042	+2%
79	Hochsauerlandkreis	263,762	+0.8%
80	Düren	262,828	+1.4%
81	Mecklenburgische Seenplatte	262,517	+0.3%
82	Gießen, Landkreis	262,505	+1%
83	Gelsenkirchen, Kreisfreie Stadt	260,368	+1.1%
84	Görlitz	260,000	-0.1%
85	Mönchengladbach, Kreisfreie Stadt	259,996	+1.2%
86	Leipzig	258,408	+0.3%
87	Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald	257,343	+1.8%
88	Rosenheim, Landkreis	256,074	+1.7%
89	Lahn-Dill-Kreis	253,167	+0.7%
90	Göppingen	252,749	+1.1%
91	Heinsberg	252,527	+1.3%
92	Herford	252,122	+1.2%
93	Braunschweig, Kreisfreie Stadt	251,364	+1.2%
94	Chemnitz, Kreisfreie Stadt	248,645	+2.1%
95	Harburg	248,122	+1.2%
96	Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge	247,412	+0.6%
97	Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt	246,306	+1.3%
98	Augsburg, Landkreis	245,600	+1.2%
99	Meißen	245,244	+0.6%
100	Marburg-Biedenkopf	245,241	+1.5%
101	Stormarn	239,614	+1.2%
102	Vorpommern-Greifswald	238,358	+0.3%
103	Halle (Saale), Kreisfreie Stadt	236,991	+1.9%
104	Kassel, Landkreis	235,813	+1%
105	Magdeburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	235,723	+1.5%
106	Hochtaunuskreis	233,427	+1.1%
107	Main-Taunus-Kreis	232,848	+1.2%
108	Vogtlandkreis	232,318	-0%
109	Rastatt	227,474	+1.2%
110	Lörrach	226,708	+1.3%
111	Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis	226,393	+1.9%
112	Krefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	225,144	+1.2%
113	Vorpommern-Rügen	224,820	+0.6%
114	Tübingen, Landkreis	221,837	+1.6%
115	Harz	221,366	+0.8%
116	Fulda	220,132	+1.3%
117	Coesfeld	218,401	+1.1%
118	Lübeck, Kreisfreie Stadt	216,253	+0.9%
119	Ludwigslust-Parchim	214,113	+0.7%
120	Diepholz	213,976	+1.4%
121	Fürstenfeldbruck	213,481	+1.5%
122	Landkreis Rostock	213,473	+0.8%
123	Bodenseekreis	212,201	+1.3%
124	Mayen-Koblenz	211,925	+0.7%
125	Oberhausen, Kreisfreie Stadt	210,934	+0.8%
126	Potsdam-Mittelmark	210,910	+1.6%
127	Erfurt, Kreisfreie Stadt	210,118	+1.9%
128	Mainz, Kreisfreie Stadt	209,779	+1.3%
129	Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis	209,648	+1.7%
130	Mainz-Bingen	208,749	+2.1%
131	Oberhavel	207,524	+1.3%
132	Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt	206,011	+0.9%
133	Westerwaldkreis	200,302	+0.6%
134	Stade	200,054	+1.3%
135	Ostholstein	199,574	+0.6%
136	Cuxhaven	198,103	+0.7%
137	Kassel, Kreisfreie Stadt	197,984	+1.7%
138	Nordsachsen	197,605	+0.3%
139	Saarlouis	197,009	+0.7%
140	Schleswig-Flensburg	196,839	+0.6%
141	Salzlandkreis	196,695	-0%
142	Enzkreis	196,066	+1.2%
143	Biberach	194,019	+1.9%
144	Herzogtum Lauenburg	192,999	+1.2%
145	Alb-Donau-Kreis	192,104	+1.6%
146	Schwäbisch Hall	191,614	+1.4%
147	Euskirchen	191,165	+1.6%
148	Märkisch-Oderland	190,714	+1.2%
149	Regensburg, Landkreis	189,390	+1.2%
150	Aurich	189,199	+0.6%
151	Hagen, Kreisfreie Stadt	189,044	+1.2%
152	Zollernalbkreis	188,595	+1.2%
153	Passau, Landkreis	188,336	+1.1%
154	Saalekreis	186,431	-0%
155	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis	184,114	+1.1%
156	Burgenlandkreis	184,081	0%
157	Oder-Spree	182,397	+2.6%
158	Ansbach, Landkreis	181,314	+1.1%
159	Lüneburg, Landkreis	180,719	+1.5%
160	Neuwied	180,655	+0.7%
161	Schwalm-Eder-Kreis	180,310	+0.5%
162	Hamm, Kreisfreie Stadt	179,397	+1.6%
163	Celle	177,971	+1%
164	Barnim	177,411	+1.4%
165	Gifhorn	174,205	+1%
166	Traunstein	174,162	+1.3%
167	Aschaffenburg, Landkreis	173,695	+0.5%
168	Börde	173,473	+0.4%
169	Freising	173,225	+1.7%
170	Limburg-Weilburg	171,922	+0.9%
171	Neu-Ulm	170,309	+1.5%
172	Mülheim an der Ruhr, Kreisfreie Stadt	169,278	+1.3%
173	Wartburgkreis	168,072	+0.2%
174	Waldshut	167,861	+1.6%
175	Potsdam, Kreisfreie Stadt	167,745	+2.3%
176	Nürnberger Land	167,643	+1%
177	Leer	167,548	+1%
178	Anhalt-Bitterfeld	164,817	-0.2%
179	Cloppenburg	164,734	+1.5%
180	Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Kreisfreie Stadt	164,718	+0.5%
181	Dahme-Spreewald	164,528	+1.6%
182	Nordfriesland	163,960	+1.1%
183	Oldenburg (Oldenburg), Kreisfreie Stadt	163,830	+1.8%
184	Teltow-Fläming	163,553	+1.3%
185	Leverkusen, Kreisfreie Stadt	163,487	+1.2%
186	Rotenburg (Wümme)	163,253	+0.9%
187	Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt	162,403	+3.5%
188	Emmendingen	162,082	+1.5%
189	Würzburg, Landkreis	160,427	+0.7%
190	Solingen, Kreisfreie Stadt	158,726	+1.2%
191	Havelland	158,236	+1.8%
192	Waldeck-Frankenberg	157,592	+0.7%
193	Bad Kreuznach	156,821	+0.6%
194	Nordwestmecklenburg	156,270	+0.5%
195	Heidelberg, Stadtkreis	156,267	+1%
196	Schaumburg	156,206	+0.2%
197	Herne, Kreisfreie Stadt	155,851	+0.8%
198	Calw	155,359	+1.7%
199	Darmstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	155,353	+2.3%
200	Landshut, Landkreis	154,577	+1.8%
201	Oberallgäu	152,672	+1.1%
202	Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis	151,546	+1%
203	Dachau	149,370	+2.1%
204	Hameln-Pyrmont	148,281	+0.3%
205	Trier-Saarburg	147,999	+1.9%
206	Bamberg, Landkreis	145,570	+0.6%
207	Regensburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	145,465	+2.2%
208	Schwandorf	144,864	+0.9%
209	Saarpfalz-Kreis	144,584	+0.7%
210	Höxter	144,010	+0.9%
211	Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis	142,936	+0.9%
212	Mansfeld-Südharz	141,408	-0.5%
213	Unterallgäu	140,419	+1.2%
214	Heidekreis	140,264	+3%
215	Goslar	138,236	+0.7%
216	Vechta	137,866	+1.2%
217	Ostallgäu	137,709	+1.3%
218	Rottweil	137,500	+1.2%
219	Ebersberg	137,421	+1.9%
220	Gotha	136,831	+1.1%
221	Tuttlingen	136,606	+1.5%
222	Olpe	136,365	+1.2%
223	Grafschaft Bentheim	135,662	+1%
224	Northeim	134,896	+0.7%
225	Verden	134,645	+1.1%
226	Erlangen-Höchstadt	134,136	+1%
227	Erding	133,747	+1.4%
228	Neunkirchen	133,735	+0.5%
229	Starnberg	133,621	+1.3%
230	Dithmarschen	132,917	+0.2%
231	Weilheim-Schongau	132,906	+1.3%
232	Ingolstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	132,438	+1.1%
233	Peine	132,320	+1.3%
234	Bad Dürkheim	132,203	+0.5%
235	Main-Tauber-Kreis	132,181	+1.4%
236	Steinburg	131,457	+1%
237	Donau-Ries	131,345	+0.9%
238	Aichach-Friedberg	130,916	+1.3%
239	Sigmaringen	130,772	+2.4%
240	Heidenheim	130,527	+1.3%
241	Neumarkt i. d. OPf.	130,385	+1.1%
242	Altenkirchen (Westerwald)	129,171	+0.7%
243	Eichstätt	128,805	+1.3%
244	Oldenburg, Landkreis	128,608	+1.4%
245	Wittenberg	128,447	-0.2%
246	Miltenberg	128,446	+0.4%
247	Plön	128,304	+1.1%
248	Ahrweiler	127,770	+0.9%
249	Germersheim	127,303	+0.8%
250	Alzey-Worms	127,274	+1%

Showing the top 250 of 400. The CSV download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population. Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (Padrón). United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July. Other countries and the World: World Bank mid-year estimates, which count all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

For Denmark, Statistics Denmark counts the registered resident population on 1 January. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are excluded. The annual series selects the first-quarter reference date from FOLK1A. The World Bank series exists for every country, so use it (through compare) to rank countries on one basis.

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

How to cite

Eurostat. Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_pjanaggr3/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population using official data, and cite the source.

rank_places {"indicator":"population","level":"province","within":"Germany","limit":10}
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Questions

Which area has the highest population?

Berlin, with 3.52 million in 2016, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which area has the lowest population?

Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt, with 34,260 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). Retrieved 2026-10-08.