Berlin: population and official figures

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Berlin: Berlin's unemployment rate was 9.1% in 2023, 6th highest of 22 large German cities and 23rd highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 7.8%.
• Health in Berlin: Berlin's number of doctors per 10,000 residents was 17.6 in 2024, 11th lowest of 22 large German cities and 76th highest of 400 districts nationwide.
• Education in Berlin: Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 8th highest share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) in 2023, at 8.1% (median of all 400 districts: 7.0%). In 2019 it was 8.9%.
• Poverty and living standards in Berlin: Berlin's share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) was 15.2% in 2023, 6th highest of 22 large German cities and 18th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 15.8%.
• Government budget and revenue in Berlin: Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 9th lowest tax revenue of its municipalities per resident in 2023, at €1,723 (median of all 400 districts: €1,446). In 2019 it was €1,330.
• Government and politics in Berlin: In the EU's 2023 survey of quality of life in European cities, 38% of residents of Berlin agreed that there is corruption in their local public administration.

Who runs Berlin?

In Germany, cities and towns are run by länder: Elected parliaments and governments. Make the municipal codes (Gemeindeordnungen), supervise municipalities, run police and schools policy.

How local power works in Germany

Cities of a similar size in Germany

• Hamburg 1,892,122
• München 1,512,491
• Köln 1,084,831
• Frankfurt am Main 773,068
• Stuttgart 632,865
• Düsseldorf 629,047
• Leipzig 616,093
• Dortmund 593,317
• Essen 584,580
• Bremen 569,396
• Dresden 563,311
• Hannover 545,045

Up a level: all cities in Germany · Germany · government and power

Sources

• United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctour: Urban Audit: culture and tourism (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 235d13e6125c…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_cpop1: Urban Audit: population on 1 January by age groups and sex (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0ef23d60abc9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clivcon: Urban Audit: living conditions (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bc58ab68d418…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_cfermor: Urban Audit: fertility and mortality (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd2b301d78c2…)
• Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung: INKAR – Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung: 43 district (Kreise) indicators, 2012-2024 (table service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c743f54caf6…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clma: Urban Audit: labour market (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 be050965f9c6…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_percep: Quality of life in European cities survey 2023: perception (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81bd3e277f3e…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctran: Urban Audit: transport (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e74aa07496…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ceduc: Urban Audit: education (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af187c7040a4…)

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