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 2018, at 6.1%. Mittelfranken had the lowest, at 1.8%. The median was 3.35% and the figure for Germany was 3.2%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest6.1Berlin
Lowest1.8Mittelfranken
Median3.3538 regions
Germany3.2History

All regions, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

BerlinBerlin: 6.1 %6.1Sachsen-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt: 5.3 %5.3Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern: 4.9 %4.9LeipzigLeipzig: 4.8 %4.8BremenBremen: 4.3 %4.3DüsseldorfDüsseldorf: 4.3 %4.3BrandenburgBrandenburg: 4.1 %4.1DresdenDresden: 4.1 %4.1HamburgHamburg: 4.1 %4.1HannoverHannover: 4.1 %4.1ThüringenThüringen: 4.1 %4.1ArnsbergArnsberg: 4 %4BraunschweigBraunschweig: 4 %4KölnKöln: 3.7 %3.7GießenGießen: 3.6 %3.6MünsterMünster: 3.6 %3.6SaarlandSaarland: 3.6 %3.6Rheinhessen-PfalzRheinhessen-Pfalz: 3.5 %3.5ChemnitzChemnitz: 3.4 %3.4DetmoldDetmold: 3.3 %3.3DarmstadtDarmstadt: 3.1 %3.1Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein: 3.1 %3.1KarlsruheKarlsruhe: 3 %3KasselKassel: 2.9 %2.9KoblenzKoblenz: 2.8 %2.8Weser-EmsWeser-Ems: 2.7 %2.7FreiburgFreiburg: 2.6 %2.6TrierTrier: 2.6 %2.6LüneburgLüneburg: 2.5 %2.5SchwabenSchwaben: 2.4 %2.4OberbayernOberbayern: 2.3 %2.3OberfrankenOberfranken: 2.3 %2.3StuttgartStuttgart: 2.3 %2.3NiederbayernNiederbayern: 2 %2UnterfrankenUnterfranken: 2 %2OberpfalzOberpfalz: 1.9 %1.9TübingenTübingen: 1.9 %1.9MittelfrankenMittelfranken: 1.8 %1.8
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Berlin6.1-0.9 pts
2Sachsen-Anhalt5.3-1.6 pts
3Mecklenburg-Vorpommern4.9-0.3 pts
4Leipzig4.8-0.3 pts
5Bremen4.30 pts
5Düsseldorf4.30 pts
7Brandenburg4.1-0.4 pts
7Dresden4.1-0.2 pts
7Hamburg4.1-0.1 pts
7Hannover4.1-0.4 pts
7Thüringen4.1-0.3 pts
12Arnsberg4-0.7 pts
12Braunschweig4-0.4 pts
14Köln3.70 pts
15Gießen3.60 pts
15Münster3.6-0.3 pts
15Saarland3.6-0.9 pts
18Rheinhessen-Pfalz3.5-0.3 pts
19Chemnitz3.4-0.7 pts
20Detmold3.3-0.6 pts
21Darmstadt3.1-0.4 pts
21Schleswig-Holstein3.1-0.5 pts
23Karlsruhe3-0.3 pts
24Kassel2.9+0.4 pts
25Koblenz2.8-0.3 pts
26Weser-Ems2.7-0.3 pts
27Freiburg2.6-0.3 pts
27Trier2.6+0.6 pts
29Lüneburg2.5-0.9 pts
30Schwaben2.4-0.2 pts
31Oberbayern2.3+0.1 pts
31Oberfranken2.3-0.7 pts
31Stuttgart2.3-0.7 pts
34Niederbayern2-0.1 pts
34Unterfranken2-0.3 pts
36Oberpfalz1.9-0.3 pts
36Tübingen1.9-0.3 pts
38Mittelfranken1.8-0.3 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 6.1% in 2018, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest unemployment rate?

Mittelfranken, with 1.8% in 2018.

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