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

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2) by unemployment rate

Berlin had the highest unemployment rate of 36 regions in 2023, at 5.2%. Schwaben had the lowest, at 1.8%. The median was 3% and the figure for Germany was 3.1%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest5.2Berlin
Lowest1.8Schwaben
Median336 regions
Germany3.1History

All regions, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

BerlinBerlin: 5.2 %5.2BremenBremen: 4.7 %4.7LeipzigLeipzig: 4.5 %4.5Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern: 4.3 %4.3HamburgHamburg: 4.1 %4.1DüsseldorfDüsseldorf: 4 %4Sachsen-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt: 3.8 %3.8ArnsbergArnsberg: 3.6 %3.6Rheinhessen-PfalzRheinhessen-Pfalz: 3.6 %3.6SaarlandSaarland: 3.4 %3.4BrandenburgBrandenburg: 3.3 %3.3ChemnitzChemnitz: 3.3 %3.3KölnKöln: 3.3 %3.3BraunschweigBraunschweig: 3.1 %3.1DarmstadtDarmstadt: 3.1 %3.1Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein: 3.1 %3.1ThüringenThüringen: 3.1 %3.1GießenGießen: 3 %3HannoverHannover: 3 %3MünsterMünster: 3 %3KarlsruheKarlsruhe: 2.9 %2.9StuttgartStuttgart: 2.9 %2.9LüneburgLüneburg: 2.6 %2.6KoblenzKoblenz: 2.5 %2.5OberfrankenOberfranken: 2.5 %2.5Weser-EmsWeser-Ems: 2.5 %2.5DetmoldDetmold: 2.4 %2.4DresdenDresden: 2.4 %2.4MittelfrankenMittelfranken: 2.4 %2.4OberbayernOberbayern: 2.3 %2.3FreiburgFreiburg: 2.2 %2.2KasselKassel: 2.1 %2.1OberpfalzOberpfalz: 2.1 %2.1TübingenTübingen: 2.1 %2.1UnterfrankenUnterfranken: 2.1 %2.1SchwabenSchwaben: 1.8 %1.8
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Berlin5.2+0.4 pts
2Bremen4.7-0.9 pts
3Leipzig4.5+1 pts
4Mecklenburg-Vorpommern4.3+0.5 pts
5Hamburg4.1+0.1 pts
6Düsseldorf4+0.1 pts
7Sachsen-Anhalt3.8-0.1 pts
8Arnsberg3.6-0.3 pts
8Rheinhessen-Pfalz3.60 pts
10Saarland3.4-0.3 pts
11Brandenburg3.30 pts
11Chemnitz3.3+1 pts
11Köln3.3+0.1 pts
14Braunschweig3.10 pts
14Darmstadt3.1-0.8 pts
14Schleswig-Holstein3.1+0.2 pts
14Thüringen3.1+0.1 pts
18Gießen3+0.4 pts
18Hannover3-0.1 pts
18Münster3-0.4 pts
21Karlsruhe2.9-0.3 pts
21Stuttgart2.9+0.1 pts
23Lüneburg2.60 pts
24Koblenz2.5-0.3 pts
24Oberfranken2.5-0.5 pts
24Weser-Ems2.5-0.2 pts
27Detmold2.4-0.3 pts
27Dresden2.4-1 pts
27Mittelfranken2.4-0.5 pts
30Oberbayern2.3+0.1 pts
31Freiburg2.2-0.1 pts
32Kassel2.1-0.3 pts
32Oberpfalz2.1n/a
32Tübingen2.10 pts
32Unterfranken2.1-0.1 pts
36Schwaben1.8-0.5 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. 2 regions with data in other periods have no value for 2023 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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 5.2% in 2023, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest unemployment rate?

Schwaben, with 1.8% in 2023.

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. 2 regions have no value for 2023 and are not ranked.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Regions of Germany (NUTS 2): more rankings