NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population

Name: NUTS 3 areas of Germany by population, 2021
Creator: Eurostat, European Commission
License: Eurostat reuse policy (commercial and non-commercial reuse, attribution required)

Berlin had the highest population of 400 areas in 2021, at 3.66 million. Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt had the lowest, at 34,001. The median was 156,418 and the figure for Germany was 83.16 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,664,088Berlin

Lowest34,001Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt

Median156,418400 areas

Germany83,155,031History

Top 40 areas, 2021

CSV Chart (SVG)

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

Full ranking

Rank	Areas	2021 persons	Change on 2020
1	Berlin	3,664,088	-0.1%
2	Hamburg	1,852,478	+0.3%
3	München, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,488,202	+0.3%
4	Region Hannover	1,155,330	-0.2%
5	Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt	1,083,498	-0.4%
6	Frankfurt am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	764,104	+0.1%
7	Stuttgart, Stadtkreis	630,305	-0.9%
8	Düsseldorf, Kreisfreie Stadt	620,523	-0.2%
9	Recklinghausen	613,599	-0.1%
10	Rhein-Sieg-Kreis	600,375	-0.1%
11	Leipzig, Kreisfreie Stadt	597,493	+0.7%
12	Dortmund, Kreisfreie Stadt	587,696	-0.1%
13	Essen, Kreisfreie Stadt	582,415	-0.1%
14	Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt	566,573	-0.2%
15	Städteregion Aachen	556,631	-0.1%
16	Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt	556,227	-0.1%
17	Rhein-Neckar-Kreis	548,233	-0%
18	Ludwigsburg	544,971	-0.1%
19	Esslingen	533,617	-0.3%
20	Nürnberg, Kreisfreie Stadt	515,543	-0.5%
21	Duisburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	495,885	-0.6%
22	Mettmann	484,322	-0.3%
23	Rhein-Erft-Kreis	469,611	-0.2%
24	Wesel	460,113	0%
25	Rhein-Kreis Neuss	452,001	+0.1%
26	Steinfurt	448,197	-0%
27	Karlsruhe, Landkreis	446,852	+0.4%
28	Ortenaukreis	432,580	+0.4%
29	Rems-Murr-Kreis	427,286	0%
30	Main-Kinzig-Kreis	421,689	+0.3%
31	Märkischer Kreis	408,662	-0.4%
32	Unna	393,618	-0.3%
33	Böblingen	392,898	0%
34	Borken	371,898	+0.2%
35	Gütersloh	364,818	-0%
36	Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt	364,454	-0.3%
37	Osnabrück, Landkreis	359,471	+0.4%
38	Offenbach, Landkreis	356,542	+0.2%
39	Wuppertal, Kreisfreie Stadt	355,004	-0%
40	München, Landkreis	349,685	-0.2%
41	Lippe	346,970	-0.2%
42	Heilbronn, Landkreis	346,363	+0.6%
43	Bielefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	333,509	-0.2%
44	Erzgebirgskreis	331,917	-0.9%
45	Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt	330,579	+0.3%
46	Emsland	328,930	+0.6%
47	Regionalverband Saarbrücken	327,502	-0.4%
48	Göttingen	323,900	-0.7%
49	Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis	323,130	-0.3%
50	Pinneberg	317,085	+0.3%
51	Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt	316,403	+0.4%
52	Ostalbkreis	314,294	+0.1%
53	Kleve	313,586	+0.4%
54	Zwickau	312,033	-0.9%
55	Wetteraukreis	310,353	+0.7%
56	Minden-Lübbecke	310,270	-0%
57	Mannheim, Stadtkreis	309,721	-0.3%
58	Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis	308,436	-1.2%
59	Paderborn	308,335	+0.2%
60	Mittelsachsen	301,474	-0.9%
61	Soest	301,016	-0.3%
62	Viersen	298,536	-0.1%
63	Bautzen	298,010	-0.6%
64	Darmstadt-Dieburg	297,701	-0%
65	Augsburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	295,830	-0.3%
66	Reutlingen	287,497	+0.2%
67	Konstanz	286,876	+0.2%
68	Ravensburg	285,888	+0.2%
69	Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis	283,275	0%
70	Wiesbaden, Kreisfreie Stadt	278,609	0%
71	Segeberg	278,007	+0.3%
72	Warendorf	277,417	-0.2%
73	Groß-Gerau	275,807	0%
74	Siegen-Wittgenstein	275,491	-0.5%
75	Hildesheim	275,464	-0.1%
76	Rendsburg-Eckernförde	274,765	+0.2%
77	Oberbergischer Kreis	271,699	-0.1%
78	Gießen, Landkreis	271,667	+0.4%
79	Bergstraße	271,015	+0.2%
80	Düren	265,140	+0.2%
81	Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald	264,867	+0.5%
82	Rosenheim, Landkreis	261,721	+0.1%
83	Mönchengladbach, Kreisfreie Stadt	259,665	-0.5%
84	Gelsenkirchen, Kreisfreie Stadt	259,105	-0.2%
85	Hochsauerlandkreis	259,030	-0.3%
86	Göppingen	258,781	+0.2%
87	Leipzig	258,386	+0.1%
88	Mecklenburgische Seenplatte	258,057	-0%
89	Heinsberg	256,458	+0.4%
90	Harburg	256,016	+0.6%
91	Augsburg, Landkreis	255,900	+1%
92	Lahn-Dill-Kreis	253,373	0%
93	Görlitz	250,558	-0.9%
94	Herford	250,547	-0%
95	Braunschweig, Kreisfreie Stadt	248,561	-0.3%
96	Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt	246,601	-0.1%
97	Marburg-Biedenkopf	245,903	-0.5%
98	Stormarn	244,989	+0.3%
99	Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge	244,722	-0.4%
100	Chemnitz, Kreisfreie Stadt	244,401	-0.8%
101	Meißen	240,371	-0.6%
102	Main-Taunus-Kreis	239,264	+0.3%
103	Halle (Saale), Kreisfreie Stadt	237,865	-0.4%
104	Hochtaunuskreis	237,281	+0.2%
105	Kassel, Landkreis	237,007	+0.1%
106	Magdeburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	235,775	-0.8%
107	Vorpommern-Greifswald	235,773	+0.1%
108	Rastatt	232,091	+0.3%
109	Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis	230,940	-0.1%
110	Lörrach	228,842	0%
111	Tübingen, Landkreis	228,471	-0.1%
112	Krefeld, Kreisfreie Stadt	226,844	-0.3%
113	Vorpommern-Rügen	225,383	+0.3%
114	Vogtlandkreis	223,905	-0.9%
115	Fulda	223,023	-0.1%
116	Coesfeld	220,712	+0.1%
117	Fürstenfeldbruck	218,740	-0.3%
118	Diepholz	218,072	+0.5%
119	Potsdam-Mittelmark	217,954	+0.6%
120	Bodenseekreis	217,901	+0.2%
121	Mainz, Kreisfreie Stadt	217,123	-0.7%
122	Landkreis Rostock	217,072	+0.6%
123	Lübeck, Kreisfreie Stadt	215,846	-0.3%
124	Mayen-Koblenz	214,786	+0.2%
125	Oberhavel	214,234	+0.6%
126	Erfurt, Kreisfreie Stadt	213,692	-0.1%
127	Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis	212,872	+0.2%
128	Ludwigslust-Parchim	211,844	0%
129	Mainz-Bingen	211,525	+0.1%
130	Harz	210,975	-1.1%
131	Oberhausen, Kreisfreie Stadt	209,566	-0.6%
132	Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt	209,061	-0.1%
133	Stade	205,357	+0.4%
134	Westerwaldkreis	202,830	+0.5%
135	Schleswig-Flensburg	202,647	+0.7%
136	Biberach	202,250	+0.5%
137	Ostholstein	201,487	+0.5%
138	Kassel, Kreisfreie Stadt	201,048	-0.5%
139	Enzkreis	199,752	+0.1%
140	Herzogtum Lauenburg	199,152	+0.6%
141	Cuxhaven	198,826	+0.4%
142	Alb-Donau-Kreis	198,204	+0.6%
143	Schwäbisch Hall	197,860	+0.6%
144	Nordsachsen	197,444	-0.2%
145	Märkisch-Oderland	197,195	+0.7%
146	Euskirchen	194,359	+0.4%
147	Regensburg, Landkreis	194,275	+0.1%
148	Saarlouis	193,732	-0.3%
149	Passau, Landkreis	193,454	+0.4%
150	Aurich	190,178	+0.3%
151	Zollernalbkreis	189,862	+0.3%
152	Hagen, Kreisfreie Stadt	188,687	0%
153	Salzlandkreis	187,457	-0.9%
154	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis	187,433	+0.1%
155	Barnim	187,343	+1.1%
156	Ansbach, Landkreis	185,316	+0.4%
157	Lüneburg, Landkreis	184,235	+0.1%
158	Saalekreis	183,434	-0.2%
159	Neuwied	183,131	+0.2%
160	Potsdam, Kreisfreie Stadt	182,112	+1%
161	Freising	180,313	+0.2%
162	Schwalm-Eder-Kreis	179,840	+0.1%
163	Celle	179,386	+0.2%
164	Oder-Spree	179,276	+0.3%
165	Hamm, Kreisfreie Stadt	178,967	-0.5%
166	Burgenlandkreis	177,590	-0.7%
167	Traunstein	177,485	+0.1%
168	Gifhorn	177,227	+0.4%
169	Neu-Ulm	175,823	+0.4%
170	Aschaffenburg, Landkreis	174,658	+0.3%
171	Dahme-Spreewald	173,316	+1.5%
172	Cloppenburg	172,632	+1.1%
173	Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Kreisfreie Stadt	172,557	+0.2%
174	Limburg-Weilburg	172,291	+0.2%
175	Teltow-Fläming	171,554	+0.9%
176	Leer	171,483	+0.4%
177	Waldshut	171,237	+0.1%
178	Nürnberger Land	171,143	+0.2%
179	Mülheim an der Ruhr, Kreisfreie Stadt	170,921	+0.2%
180	Börde	170,567	-0.2%
181	Oldenburg (Oldenburg), Kreisfreie Stadt	169,605	+0.3%
182	Nordfriesland	167,147	+0.7%
183	Emmendingen	166,862	+0.3%
184	Havelland	164,693	+1%
185	Rotenburg (Wümme)	164,486	+0.4%
186	Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt	164,223	-0.6%
187	Leverkusen, Kreisfreie Stadt	163,905	+0.1%
188	Würzburg, Landkreis	162,697	+0.2%
189	Landshut, Landkreis	161,191	+0.8%
190	Calw	160,149	+0.6%
191	Wartburgkreis	159,937	-0.8%
192	Solingen, Kreisfreie Stadt	159,193	-0%
193	Darmstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	159,174	-0.4%
194	Bad Kreuznach	158,746	+0.3%
195	Heidelberg, Stadtkreis	158,741	-1.7%
196	Schaumburg	158,406	+0.4%
197	Nordwestmecklenburg	157,975	+0.4%
198	Anhalt-Bitterfeld	157,217	-0.8%
199	Herne, Kreisfreie Stadt	156,940	+0.3%
200	Waldeck-Frankenberg	156,528	+0.1%
201	Oberallgäu	156,308	+0.2%
202	Dachau	155,117	+0.1%
203	Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis	154,754	+0.1%
204	Regensburg, Kreisfreie Stadt	152,270	-0.5%
205	Trier-Saarburg	150,533	+0.8%
206	Hameln-Pyrmont	148,580	0%
207	Schwandorf	148,477	+0.4%
208	Bamberg, Landkreis	147,497	+0.2%
209	Unterallgäu	146,164	+0.6%
210	Ebersberg	144,091	+0.3%
211	Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis	143,797	+0.1%
212	Vechta	143,698	+0.6%
213	Ostallgäu	141,907	+0.5%
214	Tuttlingen	141,682	+0.7%
215	Saarpfalz-Kreis	141,656	-0.4%
216	Heidekreis	140,885	+0.2%
217	Rottweil	140,166	+0.2%
218	Höxter	139,729	-0.4%
219	Erding	138,891	+0.5%
220	Erlangen-Höchstadt	138,105	+0.6%
221	Grafschaft Bentheim	137,891	+0.5%
222	Verden	137,574	+0.3%
223	Ingolstadt, Kreisfreie Stadt	136,952	-0.3%
224	Starnberg	136,610	-0%
225	Weilheim-Schongau	136,134	+0.5%
226	Peine	135,844	+0.8%
227	Neumarkt i. d. OPf.	135,225	+0.5%
228	Aichach-Friedberg	135,024	+0.3%
229	Goslar	134,688	-1.2%
230	Gotha	134,563	-0.3%
231	Donau-Ries	134,324	+0.4%
232	Mansfeld-Südharz	133,690	-0.9%
233	Olpe	133,362	-0.4%
234	Dithmarschen	133,251	0%
235	Eichstätt	133,169	+0.2%
236	Bad Dürkheim	133,004	+0.3%
237	Heidenheim	132,812	0%
238	Main-Tauber-Kreis	132,684	+0.2%
239	Northeim	131,772	-0.4%
240	Oldenburg, Landkreis	131,467	+0.4%
241	Neunkirchen	131,172	-0.2%
242	Sigmaringen	130,946	+0.1%
243	Offenbach am Main, Kreisfreie Stadt	130,892	+0.5%
244	Alzey-Worms	130,715	+0.8%
245	Steinburg	130,706	-0.2%
246	Ahrweiler	130,479	+0.3%
247	Plön	129,353	+0.5%
248	Pfaffenhofen a. d. Ilm	129,128	+0.7%
249	Altenkirchen (Westerwald)	129,087	+0.2%
250	Germersheim	129,006	-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 3.66 million in 2021, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which area has the lowest population?

Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt, with 34,001 in 2021.

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.