NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population

Name: NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population, 2020
Creator: Eurostat, European Commission
License: Eurostat reuse policy (commercial and non-commercial reuse, attribution required)

Berlin had the highest population of 400 areas in 2020, at 3.67 million. Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt had the lowest, at 34,193. The median was 156,207 and the figure for Germany was 83.17 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,669,491Berlin

Lowest34,193Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt

Median156,207400 areas

Germany83,166,711History

Top 40 areas, 2020

CSV Chart (SVG)

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

Full ranking

Rank	Areas	2020 persons	Change on 2019
1	Berlin	3,669,491	+0.7%
2	Hamburg	1,847,253	+0.3%
3	München, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,484,226	+0.9%
4	Region Hannover	1,157,115	-0%
5	Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,087,863	+0.2%
6	Frankfurt am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	763,380	+1.4%
7	Stuttgart, Stadtkreis	635,911	+0.2%
8	Düsseldorf, Kreisfreie Stadt	621,877	+0.4%
9	Recklinghausen	614,137	-0.2%
10	Rhein-Sieg-Kreis	600,764	+0.2%
11	Leipzig, Kreisfreie Stadt	593,145	+0.9%
12	Dortmund, Kreisfreie Stadt	588,250	+0.2%
13	Essen, Kreisfreie Stadt	582,760	-0.1%
14	Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt	567,559	-0.3%
15	Städteregion Aachen	557,026	+0.3%
16	Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt	556,780	+0.4%
17	Rhein-Neckar-Kreis	548,355	+0.1%
18	Ludwigsburg	545,423	+0.3%
19	Esslingen	535,024	+0.2%
20	Nürnberg, Kreisfreie Stadt	518,370	0%
21	Duisburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	498,686	0%
22	Mettmann	485,570	-0%
23	Rhein-Erft-Kreis	470,615	+0.1%
24	Wesel	459,976	0%
25	Rhein-Kreis Neuss	451,730	+0.2%
26	Steinfurt	448,220	+0.1%
27	Karlsruhe, Landkreis	445,101	+0.2%
28	Ortenaukreis	430,953	+0.3%
29	Rems-Murr-Kreis	427,248	+0.3%
30	Main-Kinzig-Kreis	420,552	+0.4%
31	Märkischer Kreis	410,222	-0.5%
32	Unna	394,891	0%
33	Böblingen	392,807	+0.3%
34	Borken	371,339	+0.2%
35	Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt	365,587	+0.3%
36	Gütersloh	364,938	+0.2%
37	Osnabrück, Landkreis	358,080	+0.2%
38	Offenbach, Landkreis	355,813	+0.5%
39	Wuppertal, Kreisfreie Stadt	355,100	+0.2%
40	München, Landkreis	350,473	+0.5%
41	Lippe	347,514	-0.3%
42	Heilbronn, Landkreis	344,456	+0.4%
43	Erzgebirgskreis	334,948	-0.8%
44	Bielefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	334,195	+0.1%
45	Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt	329,673	+0.7%
46	Regionalverband Saarbrücken	328,714	-0.3%
47	Emsland	326,954	+0.4%
48	Göttingen	326,041	-0.6%
49	Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis	324,106	-0.1%
50	Pinneberg	316,103	+0.5%
51	Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt	315,293	+0.3%
52	Zwickau	315,002	-0.8%
53	Ostalbkreis	314,025	0%
54	Kleve	312,465	+0.5%
55	Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis	312,060	-0.3%
56	Mannheim, Stadtkreis	310,658	+0.4%
57	Minden-Lübbecke	310,409	-0.1%
58	Wetteraukreis	308,339	+0.6%
59	Paderborn	307,839	+0.3%
60	Mittelsachsen	304,099	-0.7%
61	Soest	301,785	-0%
62	Bautzen	299,758	-0.4%
63	Viersen	298,863	-0%
64	Darmstadt-Dieburg	297,844	+0.1%
65	Augsburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	296,582	+0.5%
66	Reutlingen	287,034	+0.1%
67	Konstanz	286,305	+0.3%
68	Ravensburg	285,424	+0.4%
69	Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis	283,271	-0.1%
70	Wiesbaden, Kreisfreie Stadt	278,474	0%
71	Warendorf	277,840	0%
72	Segeberg	277,175	+0.4%
73	Siegen-Wittgenstein	276,944	-0.5%
74	Hildesheim	275,817	-0.3%
75	Groß-Gerau	275,726	+0.4%
76	Rendsburg-Eckernförde	274,098	+0.5%
77	Oberbergischer Kreis	272,057	-0.2%
78	Gießen, Landkreis	270,688	+0.7%
79	Bergstraße	270,340	+0.2%
80	Düren	264,638	+0.3%
81	Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald	263,601	+0.3%
82	Rosenheim, Landkreis	261,330	+0.1%
83	Mönchengladbach, Kreisfreie Stadt	261,034	-0.2%
84	Hochsauerlandkreis	259,777	-0.3%
85	Gelsenkirchen, Kreisfreie Stadt	259,645	-0.4%
86	Göppingen	258,145	+0.3%
87	Leipzig	258,139	+0.1%
88	Mecklenburgische Seenplatte	258,074	-0.4%
89	Heinsberg	255,555	+0.5%
90	Harburg	254,431	+0.7%
91	Augsburg, Landkreis	253,468	+0.8%
92	Lahn-Dill-Kreis	253,319	-0.2%
93	Görlitz	252,725	-0.9%
94	Herford	250,578	-0.1%
95	Braunschweig, Kreisfreie Stadt	249,406	+0.4%
96	Marburg-Biedenkopf	247,084	+0.2%
97	Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt	246,794	-0.3%
98	Chemnitz, Kreisfreie Stadt	246,334	-0.4%
99	Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge	245,586	-0%
100	Stormarn	244,156	+0.4%
101	Meißen	241,717	-0.2%
102	Halle (Saale), Kreisfreie Stadt	238,762	-0.2%
103	Main-Taunus-Kreis	238,558	+0.3%
104	Magdeburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	237,565	-0.5%
105	Hochtaunuskreis	236,914	+0.1%
106	Kassel, Landkreis	236,764	+0.1%
107	Vorpommern-Greifswald	235,623	-0.5%
108	Rastatt	231,420	+0.2%
109	Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis	231,195	+0.4%
110	Lörrach	228,736	0%
111	Tübingen, Landkreis	228,678	+0.6%
112	Krefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	227,417	+0.2%
113	Vogtlandkreis	225,997	-0.8%
114	Vorpommern-Rügen	224,702	0%
115	Fulda	223,145	+0.3%
116	Coesfeld	220,586	+0.3%
117	Fürstenfeldbruck	219,311	-0%
118	Mainz, Kreisfreie Stadt	218,578	+0.7%
119	Bodenseekreis	217,470	+0.6%
120	Diepholz	217,089	+0.1%
121	Potsdam-Mittelmark	216,566	+0.9%
122	Lübeck, Kreisfreie Stadt	216,530	-0.3%
123	Landkreis Rostock	215,794	+0.3%
124	Mayen-Koblenz	214,434	+0.1%
125	Erfurt, Kreisfreie Stadt	213,981	+0.1%
126	Harz	213,310	-0.5%
127	Oberhavel	212,914	+0.8%
128	Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis	212,506	+0.1%
129	Ludwigslust-Parchim	211,779	-0.4%
130	Mainz-Bingen	211,417	+0.3%
131	Oberhausen, Kreisfreie Stadt	210,764	-0%
132	Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt	209,191	+0.1%
133	Stade	204,512	+0.7%
134	Kassel, Kreisfreie Stadt	202,137	+0.3%
135	Westerwaldkreis	201,904	+0.2%
136	Biberach	201,282	+0.8%
137	Schleswig-Flensburg	201,156	+0.6%
138	Ostholstein	200,539	-0%
139	Enzkreis	199,556	+0.3%
140	Cuxhaven	198,038	-0.1%
141	Herzogtum Lauenburg	198,019	+0.4%
142	Nordsachsen	197,741	0%
143	Alb-Donau-Kreis	197,076	+0.5%
144	Schwäbisch Hall	196,761	+0.5%
145	Märkisch-Oderland	195,751	+0.7%
146	Saarlouis	194,319	-0.5%
147	Regensburg, Landkreis	194,070	+0.3%
148	Euskirchen	193,656	+0.4%
149	Passau, Landkreis	192,656	+0.3%
150	Aurich	189,694	-0.1%
151	Zollernalbkreis	189,363	+0.2%
152	Salzlandkreis	189,125	-0.8%
153	Hagen, Kreisfreie Stadt	188,686	-0.1%
154	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis	187,160	0%
155	Barnim	185,244	+1.4%
156	Ansbach, Landkreis	184,591	+0.3%
157	Lüneburg, Landkreis	184,139	+0.4%
158	Saalekreis	183,815	-0.4%
159	Neuwied	182,811	+0.5%
160	Potsdam, Kreisfreie Stadt	180,334	+1.3%
161	Freising	180,007	+0.5%
162	Hamm, Kreisfreie Stadt	179,916	+0.4%
163	Schwalm-Eder-Kreis	179,673	-0.3%
164	Celle	179,011	0%
165	Burgenlandkreis	178,846	-0.7%
166	Oder-Spree	178,803	+0.1%
167	Traunstein	177,319	+0.1%
168	Gifhorn	176,523	+0.3%
169	Neu-Ulm	175,204	+0.6%
170	Aschaffenburg, Landkreis	174,200	-0%
171	Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Kreisfreie Stadt	172,253	+0.7%
172	Limburg-Weilburg	171,912	-0.1%
173	Waldshut	171,003	+0.2%
174	Börde	170,923	-0.5%
175	Nürnberger Land	170,792	+0.3%
176	Dahme-Spreewald	170,791	+1%
177	Leer	170,756	+0.6%
178	Cloppenburg	170,682	+0.8%
179	Mülheim an der Ruhr, Kreisfreie Stadt	170,632	-0.1%
180	Teltow-Fläming	169,997	+1%
181	Oldenburg (Oldenburg), Kreisfreie Stadt	169,077	+0.5%
182	Emmendingen	166,408	+0.6%
183	Nordfriesland	165,951	+0.3%
184	Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt	165,251	+0.3%
185	Rotenburg (Wümme)	163,782	+0.2%
186	Leverkusen, Kreisfreie Stadt	163,729	-0.1%
187	Havelland	162,996	+0.7%
188	Würzburg, Landkreis	162,302	+0.3%
189	Heidelberg, Stadtkreis	161,485	+0.7%
190	Wartburgkreis	161,224	-2.5%
191	Landshut, Landkreis	159,895	+0.8%
192	Darmstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	159,878	+0.4%
193	Solingen, Kreisfreie Stadt	159,245	-0.1%
194	Calw	159,201	+0.5%
195	Anhalt-Bitterfeld	158,486	-0.9%
196	Bad Kreuznach	158,345	+0.2%
197	Schaumburg	157,820	0%
198	Nordwestmecklenburg	157,322	+0.4%
199	Herne, Kreisfreie Stadt	156,449	0%
200	Waldeck-Frankenberg	156,406	-0.3%
201	Oberallgäu	156,008	+0.4%
202	Dachau	154,899	+0.7%
203	Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis	154,609	+0.3%
204	Regensburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	153,094	+0.3%
205	Trier-Saarburg	149,398	+0.3%
206	Hameln-Pyrmont	148,549	-0%
207	Schwandorf	147,872	+0.5%
208	Bamberg, Landkreis	147,163	+0.1%
209	Unterallgäu	145,341	+0.9%
210	Ebersberg	143,649	+1.1%
211	Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis	143,633	+0.1%
212	Vechta	142,814	+0.9%
213	Saarpfalz-Kreis	142,196	-0.3%
214	Ostallgäu	141,182	+0.6%
215	Tuttlingen	140,766	+0.4%
216	Heidekreis	140,673	+0.7%
217	Höxter	140,251	-0.3%
218	Rottweil	139,878	+0.3%
219	Erding	138,182	+0.4%
220	Ingolstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	137,392	+0.3%
221	Erlangen-Höchstadt	137,262	+0.7%
222	Grafschaft Bentheim	137,162	+0.5%
223	Verden	137,133	+0.2%
224	Starnberg	136,667	+0.4%
225	Goslar	136,292	-0.5%
226	Weilheim-Schongau	135,478	+0.1%
227	Mansfeld-Südharz	134,942	-1%
228	Gotha	134,908	-0.4%
229	Peine	134,801	+0.6%
230	Aichach-Friedberg	134,655	+0.8%
231	Neumarkt i. d. OPf.	134,573	+0.8%
232	Olpe	133,955	-0.6%
233	Donau-Ries	133,783	+0.2%
234	Dithmarschen	133,193	-0%
235	Eichstätt	132,881	+0.4%
236	Heidenheim	132,777	+0.2%
237	Bad Dürkheim	132,671	0%
238	Main-Tauber-Kreis	132,399	+0.1%
239	Northeim	132,285	-0.4%
240	Neunkirchen	131,408	-0.6%
241	Steinburg	131,013	-0.3%
242	Oldenburg, Landkreis	130,890	+0.6%
243	Sigmaringen	130,849	-0%
244	Offenbach am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	130,280	+1.2%
245	Ahrweiler	130,086	+0.3%
246	Alzey-Worms	129,687	+0.3%
247	Germersheim	129,013	-0%
248	Altenkirchen (Westerwald)	128,805	+0.1%
249	Miltenberg	128,743	-0%
250	Plön	128,686	0%

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.

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Questions

Which area has the highest population?

Berlin, with 3.67 million in 2020, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which area has the lowest population?

Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt, with 34,193 in 2020.

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.