Poverty and living standards in Berlin, Germany: official figures
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%.
How high is child poverty in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 6th highest number of children under 15 per 100 living in households on basic income support in 2023, at 24.0 (median of all 400 districts: 10.2). In 2019 it was 26.3.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many pensioners need basic income support in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 10th highest share of people aged 65 and over receiving basic income support in old age in 2023, at 6.7% (median of all 400 districts: 2.4%). In 2019 it was 6.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many households get Wohngeld in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 7th lowest number of households per 1,000 receiving housing benefit (Wohngeld) in 2022, at 13.4 (median of all 400 districts: 14.7). In 2018 it was 11.2.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many households are on a low income in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 11th lowest share of households with a net income below €1,500 a month in 2023, at 28.2% (median of all 400 districts: 23.1%). In 2019 it was 35.4%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people are in debt in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 8th highest share of adults who are over-indebted (private debtors) in 2023, at 10.0% (median of all 400 districts: 7.5%). In 2019 it was 12.3%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many personal bankruptcies are there in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 9th lowest number of personal insolvency cases per 1,000 adults in 2023, at 1.00 (median of all 400 districts: 0.81). In 2019 it was 1.02.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow much is rent in Berlin?
Berlin's asking rent per square metre for advertised flats (rounded to the euro) was about €17 in 2024, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 3rd highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was about €11.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 2nd highest number of recorded crimes per 100,000 residents in 2022, at 14,309 (median of all 400 districts: 5,341). In 2018 it was 14,038.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many single parents receive Bürgergeld in Berlin?
Berlin's share of single parents among working-age people on basic income support was 12.4% in 2023, 3rd lowest of 22 large German cities and 14th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 12.5%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow much does an apartment cost in Berlin?
An apartment in Berlin cost €353,178 to buy on average in 2022.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does a house cost in Berlin?
A house cost €630,541 to buy on average in 2022.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people live alone in Berlin?
53% of the 2,009,000 households in Berlin were people living alone in 2021, and 4.7% were lone parents with children under 18.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people own their home in Berlin?
302,223 households owned their home in 2018.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyCan people in Berlin afford their bills?
In the EU's 2023 quality of life survey, 6% of residents of Berlin said they had difficulty paying their bills at the end of the month most of the time.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 18% of people in Berlin agreed that it is easy to find good housing at a reasonable price (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- 59% of people in Berlin felt safe walking alone at night in the city (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Berlin compares with other cities in Germany
Residents under 65 on basic income support (%) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 6 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der erwerbsfähigen und nicht erwerbsfähigen Leistungsberechtigten nach SGB II an den unter 65-jährigen Einwohnern in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Residents under 65 on basic income support (%) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Dortmund | 18.0% |
| 4 | Wuppertal | 16.8% |
| 5 | Bremen | 16.3% |
| 6 | Berlin | 15.2% |
| 7 | Bochum | 14.4% |
| 8 | Köln | 13.5% |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 13.0% |
Children under 15 on basic income support per 100 – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 6 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Nicht erwerbsfähige SGBII-Leistungsberechtigte unter 15 Jahren je 100 Einwohner unter 15 Jahren; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Children under 15 on basic income support per 100 – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Duisburg | 28.6 |
| 4 | Bremen | 27.0 |
| 5 | Wuppertal | 26.4 |
| 6 | Berlin | 24.0 |
| 7 | Bochum | 23.3 |
| 8 | Köln | 21.9 |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 20.2 |
Over-65s on basic income support in old age (%) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 10 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Bevölkerung mit Grundsicherung im Alter an den Einwohnern 65 Jahre und älter in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Over-65s on basic income support in old age (%) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Bremen | 7.4% |
| 8 | München | 7.0% |
| 9 | Essen | 6.8% |
| 10 | Berlin | 6.7% |
| 11 | Bonn | 6.6% |
| 12 | Wuppertal | 6.5% |
| 13 | Augsburg | 6.2% |
Asking rent for advertised flats (€ per m², rounded) – large cities (2024)
Berlin ranks 2 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Wiedervermietungsmieten inserierter Wohnungen (Angebotsmieten); kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Asking rent for advertised flats (€ per m², rounded) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | München | about €21 |
| 2 | Berlin | about €17 |
| 3 | Frankfurt am Main | about €16 |
| 4 | Stuttgart | about €15 |
| 5 | Hamburg | about €14 |
| 6 | Köln | about €14 |
| 7 | Düsseldorf | about €13 |
Average apartment price (euros) (2022)
Berlin ranks 12 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Average apartment price (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Regensburg | €356,057 |
| 10 | Potsdam | €355,771 |
| 11 | Augsburg | €353,800 |
| 12 | Berlin | €353,178 |
| 13 | Mainz | €345,577 |
| 14 | Ingolstadt | €340,860 |
| 15 | Offenbach am Main | €339,186 |
More on Berlin: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clivcon: Urban Audit: living conditions (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bc58ab68d418…)
- 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_percep: Quality of life in European cities survey 2023: perception (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81bd3e277f3e…)
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