Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Regions of Germany (NUTS 2)

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2) by unemployment rate

Berlin had the highest unemployment rate of 38 regions in 2017, at 7%. Trier had the lowest, at 2%. The median was 3.65% and the figure for Germany was 3.5%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest7Berlin
Lowest2Trier
Median3.6538 regions
Germany3.5History

All regions, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

BerlinBerlin: 7 %7Sachsen-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt: 6.9 %6.9Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern: 5.2 %5.2LeipzigLeipzig: 5.1 %5.1ArnsbergArnsberg: 4.7 %4.7BrandenburgBrandenburg: 4.5 %4.5HannoverHannover: 4.5 %4.5SaarlandSaarland: 4.5 %4.5BraunschweigBraunschweig: 4.4 %4.4ThüringenThüringen: 4.4 %4.4BremenBremen: 4.3 %4.3DresdenDresden: 4.3 %4.3DüsseldorfDüsseldorf: 4.3 %4.3HamburgHamburg: 4.2 %4.2ChemnitzChemnitz: 4.1 %4.1DetmoldDetmold: 3.9 %3.9MünsterMünster: 3.9 %3.9Rheinhessen-PfalzRheinhessen-Pfalz: 3.8 %3.8KölnKöln: 3.7 %3.7GießenGießen: 3.6 %3.6Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein: 3.6 %3.6DarmstadtDarmstadt: 3.5 %3.5LüneburgLüneburg: 3.4 %3.4KarlsruheKarlsruhe: 3.3 %3.3KoblenzKoblenz: 3.1 %3.1OberfrankenOberfranken: 3 %3StuttgartStuttgart: 3 %3Weser-EmsWeser-Ems: 3 %3FreiburgFreiburg: 2.9 %2.9SchwabenSchwaben: 2.6 %2.6KasselKassel: 2.5 %2.5UnterfrankenUnterfranken: 2.3 %2.3OberbayernOberbayern: 2.2 %2.2OberpfalzOberpfalz: 2.2 %2.2TübingenTübingen: 2.2 %2.2MittelfrankenMittelfranken: 2.1 %2.1NiederbayernNiederbayern: 2.1 %2.1TrierTrier: 2 %2
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Berlin7-0.8 pts
2Sachsen-Anhalt6.9-0.5 pts
3Mecklenburg-Vorpommern5.2-1.1 pts
4Leipzig5.1-0.9 pts
5Arnsberg4.7-0.3 pts
6Brandenburg4.5-0.1 pts
6Hannover4.5-0.2 pts
6Saarland4.5-0.4 pts
9Braunschweig4.4-0.2 pts
9Thüringen4.4-0.7 pts
11Bremen4.3-1.1 pts
11Dresden4.3-0.6 pts
11Düsseldorf4.3-0.6 pts
14Hamburg4.2+0.1 pts
15Chemnitz4.1-0.3 pts
16Detmold3.9-0.2 pts
16Münster3.9-0.4 pts
18Rheinhessen-Pfalz3.8-0.3 pts
19Köln3.7-0.2 pts
20Gießen3.6-0.4 pts
20Schleswig-Holstein3.6-0.4 pts
22Darmstadt3.5-0.5 pts
23Lüneburg3.4+0.1 pts
24Karlsruhe3.3+0.2 pts
25Koblenz3.1-0.3 pts
26Oberfranken3-0.3 pts
26Stuttgart3-0.3 pts
26Weser-Ems3-0.6 pts
29Freiburg2.9-0.1 pts
30Schwaben2.6-0.1 pts
31Kassel2.5-1.2 pts
32Unterfranken2.3-0.2 pts
33Oberbayern2.2-0.2 pts
33Oberpfalz2.2-0.7 pts
33Tübingen2.2-0.4 pts
36Mittelfranken2.1-0.4 pts
36Niederbayern2.10 pts
38Trier2-0.7 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work. Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over. EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74. United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states and counties. Other countries and the World: ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, aged 15 and over.

Survey-based. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states and US counties, not Spanish municipalities. For municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate. US national and state rates are seasonally adjusted; county rates are not. Countries without a national or Eurostat series get the annual ILO modelled estimate, a model output rather than a survey result.

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. Unemployment rates by NUTS 2 region (lfst_r_lfu3rt). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfst_r_lfu3rt/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which region has the highest unemployment rate?

Berlin, with 7% in 2017, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest unemployment rate?

Trier, with 2% 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, Unemployment rates by NUTS 2 region (lfst_r_lfu3rt). Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2): more rankings