NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population

Name: NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population, 2017
Creator: Eurostat, European Commission
License: Eurostat reuse policy (commercial and non-commercial reuse, attribution required)

Berlin had the highest population of 400 areas in 2017, at 3.57 million. Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt had the lowest, at 34,428. The median was 154,601 and the figure for Germany was 82.52 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,574,830Berlin

Lowest34,428Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt

Median154,601400 areas

Germany82,521,653History

Top 40 areas, 2017

CSV Chart (SVG)

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

Full ranking

Rank	Areas	2017 persons	Change on 2016
1	Berlin	3,574,830	+1.6%
2	Hamburg	1,810,438	+1.3%
3	München, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,464,301	+1%
4	Region Hannover	1,148,700	+0.4%
5	Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,075,935	+1.4%
6	Frankfurt am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	736,414	+0.5%
7	Stuttgart, Stadtkreis	628,032	+0.7%
8	Recklinghausen	617,195	-0.1%
9	Düsseldorf, Kreisfreie Stadt	613,230	+0.2%
10	Rhein-Sieg-Kreis	597,854	+0.3%
11	Dortmund, Kreisfreie Stadt	585,813	-0.1%
12	Essen, Kreisfreie Stadt	583,084	+0.1%
13	Leipzig, Kreisfreie Stadt	571,088	+1.9%
14	Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt	565,719	+1.5%
15	Städteregion Aachen	552,472	-0.3%
16	Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt	547,172	+0.6%
17	Rhein-Neckar-Kreis	544,400	+0.5%
18	Ludwigsburg	537,902	+0.7%
19	Esslingen	528,792	+0.9%
20	Nürnberg, Kreisfreie Stadt	511,628	+0.3%
21	Duisburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	499,845	+1.8%
22	Mettmann	484,770	+0.3%
23	Rhein-Erft-Kreis	465,549	-0.2%
24	Wesel	461,715	-0.2%
25	Rhein-Kreis Neuss	447,431	-0.6%
26	Steinfurt	444,409	+0.2%
27	Karlsruhe, Landkreis	440,337	+1%
28	Ortenaukreis	423,359	+0.8%
29	Rems-Murr-Kreis	422,698	+0.8%
30	Main-Kinzig-Kreis	416,715	+1.2%
31	Märkischer Kreis	414,886	-0.3%
32	Unna	393,869	-0.5%
33	Böblingen	385,888	+1.2%
34	Borken	369,226	-0.1%
35	Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt	364,920	0%
36	Gütersloh	361,828	+0.3%
37	Osnabrück, Landkreis	354,807	-0.9%
38	Wuppertal, Kreisfreie Stadt	352,390	+0.7%
39	Offenbach, Landkreis	349,982	+0.8%
40	Lippe	348,933	-0.5%
41	Erzgebirgskreis	344,136	-1%
42	München, Landkreis	343,405	+1%
43	Heilbronn, Landkreis	337,571	+1%
44	Bielefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	333,451	+0.1%
45	Regionalverband Saarbrücken	329,593	+0.7%
46	Göttingen	327,065	-0.8%
47	Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis	325,374	-0.2%
48	Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt	322,125	+1%
49	Zwickau	322,099	-0.8%
50	Emsland	321,391	+0.6%
51	Minden-Lübbecke	311,866	-0.4%
52	Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt	311,846	+0.6%
53	Ostalbkreis	311,587	-0.3%
54	Pinneberg	310,653	+1%
55	Mittelsachsen	310,505	-0.6%
56	Kleve	310,329	-0%
57	Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis	309,999	+0.7%
58	Paderborn	305,198	+0.3%
59	Mannheim, Stadtkreis	304,781	-0.3%
60	Bautzen	304,691	-0.5%
61	Wetteraukreis	303,914	+0.7%
62	Soest	301,655	-0.4%
63	Viersen	298,422	+0.3%
64	Darmstadt-Dieburg	294,744	+0.7%
65	Augsburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	289,584	+1.1%
66	Reutlingen	284,082	+0.7%
67	Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis	283,304	+0.2%
68	Konstanz	282,191	+0.7%
69	Ravensburg	281,627	+0.8%
70	Siegen-Wittgenstein	277,933	-1%
71	Warendorf	277,744	+0.1%
72	Wiesbaden, Kreisfreie Stadt	277,619	+0.5%
73	Hildesheim	277,300	+0.1%
74	Oberbergischer Kreis	273,139	-0.1%
75	Rendsburg-Eckernförde	272,337	+0.7%
76	Segeberg	272,235	+1.8%
77	Groß-Gerau	269,045	+1.1%
78	Bergstraße	267,935	+0.4%
79	Gießen, Landkreis	265,699	+1.2%
80	Gelsenkirchen, Kreisfreie Stadt	262,528	+0.8%
81	Hochsauerlandkreis	262,269	-0.6%
82	Düren	262,072	-0.3%
83	Mecklenburgische Seenplatte	261,816	-0.3%
84	Mönchengladbach, Kreisfreie Stadt	260,925	+0.4%
85	Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald	260,416	+1.2%
86	Görlitz	258,337	-0.6%
87	Leipzig	258,333	-0%
88	Rosenheim, Landkreis	257,466	+0.5%
89	Göppingen	254,618	+0.7%
90	Lahn-Dill-Kreis	254,074	+0.4%
91	Heinsberg	252,651	0%
92	Herford	251,074	-0.4%
93	Harburg	250,326	+0.9%
94	Braunschweig, Kreisfreie Stadt	248,667	-1.1%
95	Augsburg, Landkreis	247,539	+0.8%
96	Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt	247,441	+0.5%
97	Chemnitz, Kreisfreie Stadt	246,353	-0.9%
98	Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge	246,066	-0.5%
99	Marburg-Biedenkopf	245,013	-0.1%
100	Meißen	243,889	-0.6%
101	Stormarn	241,811	+0.9%
102	Magdeburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	238,136	+1%
103	Halle (Saale), Kreisfreie Stadt	238,005	+0.4%
104	Vorpommern-Greifswald	237,374	-0.4%
105	Kassel, Landkreis	236,905	+0.5%
106	Main-Taunus-Kreis	235,708	+1.2%
107	Hochtaunuskreis	234,991	+0.7%
108	Vogtlandkreis	231,051	-0.5%
109	Rastatt	228,907	+0.6%
110	Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis	227,590	+0.5%
111	Lörrach	227,545	+0.4%
112	Krefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	226,812	+0.7%
113	Vorpommern-Rügen	224,971	+0.1%
114	Tübingen, Landkreis	224,635	+1.3%
115	Fulda	221,170	+0.5%
116	Harz	219,643	-0.8%
117	Coesfeld	219,019	+0.3%
118	Fürstenfeldbruck	216,857	+1.6%
119	Lübeck, Kreisfreie Stadt	216,712	+0.2%
120	Diepholz	215,082	+0.5%
121	Landkreis Rostock	213,945	+0.2%
122	Mainz, Kreisfreie Stadt	213,528	+1.8%
123	Bodenseekreis	213,070	+0.4%
124	Mayen-Koblenz	212,968	+0.5%
125	Ludwigslust-Parchim	212,562	-0.7%
126	Potsdam-Mittelmark	212,207	+0.6%
127	Oberhausen, Kreisfreie Stadt	211,382	+0.2%
128	Erfurt, Kreisfreie Stadt	211,113	+0.5%
129	Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis	210,084	+0.2%
130	Mainz-Bingen	209,184	+0.2%
131	Oberhavel	208,639	+0.5%
132	Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt	207,513	+0.7%
133	Stade	201,638	+0.8%
134	Westerwaldkreis	201,027	+0.4%
135	Ostholstein	200,813	+0.6%
136	Kassel, Kreisfreie Stadt	199,062	+0.5%
137	Schleswig-Flensburg	198,685	+0.9%
138	Cuxhaven	198,670	+0.3%
139	Nordsachsen	198,063	+0.2%
140	Enzkreis	197,246	+0.6%
141	Saarlouis	196,609	-0.2%
142	Biberach	196,206	+1.1%
143	Herzogtum Lauenburg	195,063	+1.1%
144	Salzlandkreis	194,575	-1.1%
145	Alb-Donau-Kreis	193,318	+0.6%
146	Schwäbisch Hall	192,958	+0.7%
147	Märkisch-Oderland	191,685	+0.5%
148	Euskirchen	191,202	0%
149	Regensburg, Landkreis	190,481	+0.6%
150	Aurich	190,066	+0.5%
151	Passau, Landkreis	188,904	+0.3%
152	Hagen, Kreisfreie Stadt	188,266	-0.4%
153	Zollernalbkreis	187,401	-0.6%
154	Saalekreis	185,951	-0.3%
155	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis	185,668	+0.8%
156	Burgenlandkreis	183,174	-0.5%
157	Ansbach, Landkreis	182,178	+0.5%
158	Lüneburg, Landkreis	181,605	+0.5%
159	Neuwied	181,537	+0.5%
160	Schwalm-Eder-Kreis	181,105	+0.4%
161	Hamm, Kreisfreie Stadt	179,571	+0.1%
162	Barnim	179,365	+1.1%
163	Oder-Spree	178,849	-1.9%
164	Celle	178,370	+0.2%
165	Freising	175,803	+1.5%
166	Traunstein	175,431	+0.7%
167	Gifhorn	174,749	+0.3%
168	Aschaffenburg, Landkreis	173,504	-0.1%
169	Börde	172,959	-0.3%
170	Limburg-Weilburg	172,120	+0.1%
171	Potsdam, Kreisfreie Stadt	171,810	+2.4%
172	Neu-Ulm	171,011	+0.4%
173	Mülheim an der Ruhr, Kreisfreie Stadt	170,936	+1%
174	Nürnberger Land	168,893	+0.7%
175	Waldshut	168,852	+0.6%
176	Leer	168,253	+0.4%
177	Wartburgkreis	167,317	-0.4%
178	Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Kreisfreie Stadt	166,621	+1.2%
179	Dahme-Spreewald	166,074	+0.9%
180	Cloppenburg	165,930	+0.7%
181	Oldenburg (Oldenburg), Kreisfreie Stadt	165,711	+1.1%
182	Nordfriesland	164,926	+0.6%
183	Teltow-Fläming	164,771	+0.7%
184	Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt	164,070	+1%
185	Rotenburg (Wümme)	163,372	+0.1%
186	Emmendingen	163,251	+0.7%
187	Leverkusen, Kreisfreie Stadt	163,113	-0.2%
188	Anhalt-Bitterfeld	163,100	-1%
189	Würzburg, Landkreis	161,041	+0.4%
190	Heidelberg, Stadtkreis	159,914	+2.3%
191	Havelland	159,685	+0.9%
192	Solingen, Kreisfreie Stadt	158,908	+0.1%
193	Waldeck-Frankenberg	157,967	+0.2%
194	Schaumburg	157,616	+0.9%
195	Darmstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	157,437	+1.3%
196	Bad Kreuznach	157,392	+0.4%
197	Nordwestmecklenburg	156,825	+0.4%
198	Herne, Kreisfreie Stadt	156,774	+0.6%
199	Calw	155,960	+0.4%
200	Landshut, Landkreis	155,442	+0.6%
201	Oberallgäu	153,759	+0.7%
202	Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis	153,043	+1%
203	Dachau	150,839	+1%
204	Regensburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	148,638	+2.2%
205	Hameln-Pyrmont	148,265	-0%
206	Trier-Saarburg	147,833	-0.1%
207	Bamberg, Landkreis	146,042	+0.3%
208	Schwandorf	145,382	+0.4%
209	Saarpfalz-Kreis	144,100	-0.3%
210	Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis	143,278	+0.2%
211	Höxter	141,855	-1.5%
212	Unterallgäu	141,165	+0.5%
213	Mansfeld-Südharz	139,781	-1.2%
214	Vechta	139,671	+1.3%
215	Heidekreis	139,641	-0.4%
216	Ebersberg	139,016	+1.2%
217	Rottweil	138,327	+0.6%
218	Ostallgäu	138,265	+0.4%
219	Tuttlingen	138,119	+1.1%
220	Goslar	137,979	-0.2%
221	Verden	135,842	+0.9%
222	Grafschaft Bentheim	135,770	+0.1%
223	Gotha	135,430	-1%
224	Erding	135,429	+1.3%
225	Olpe	134,983	-1%
226	Starnberg	134,732	+0.8%
227	Erlangen-Höchstadt	134,640	+0.4%
228	Neunkirchen	133,984	+0.2%
229	Weilheim-Schongau	133,859	+0.7%
230	Ingolstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	133,639	+0.9%
231	Northeim	133,610	-1%
232	Dithmarschen	133,560	+0.5%
233	Peine	132,979	+0.5%
234	Bad Dürkheim	132,960	+0.6%
235	Donau-Ries	132,298	+0.7%
236	Main-Tauber-Kreis	132,274	+0.1%
237	Steinburg	131,875	+0.3%
238	Neumarkt i. d. OPf.	131,662	+1%
239	Heidenheim	131,498	+0.7%
240	Aichach-Friedberg	131,399	+0.4%
241	Eichstätt	130,808	+1.6%
242	Sigmaringen	130,275	-0.4%
243	Oldenburg, Landkreis	129,484	+0.7%
244	Altenkirchen (Westerwald)	128,961	-0.2%
245	Plön	128,703	+0.3%
246	Miltenberg	128,543	+0.1%
247	Ahrweiler	128,455	+0.5%
248	Germersheim	128,205	+0.7%
249	Alzey-Worms	128,197	+0.7%
250	Wittenberg	127,449	-0.8%

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 3.57 million in 2017, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which area has the lowest population?

Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt, with 34,428 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 on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). Retrieved 2026-10-08.