Dortmund: population and official figures

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Dortmund: Dortmund's unemployment rate was 11.5% in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 5th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 10.1%.
• Health in Dortmund: Dortmund's number of doctors per 10,000 residents was 13.7 in 2024, 2nd lowest of 22 large German cities and 163rd highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 13.6.
• Education in Dortmund: Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the highest share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) in 2023, at 9.6% (median of all 400 districts: 7.0%). In 2019 it was 8.2%.
• Poverty and living standards in Dortmund: Dortmund's share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) was 18.0% in 2023, 3rd highest of 22 large German cities and 7th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 17.7%.
• Government budget and revenue in Dortmund: Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the 4th lowest tax revenue of its municipalities per resident in 2023, at €1,530 (median of all 400 districts: €1,446). In 2019 it was €1,274.
• Government and politics in Dortmund: 39% of people in Dortmund agreed that there is corruption in their local public administration (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023).

Who runs Dortmund?

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

• Berlin 3,755,251
• 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
• Essen 584,580
• Bremen 569,396
• Dresden 563,311
• Hannover 545,045
• Nürnberg 523,026
• Duisburg 502,211
• Bochum 365,742
• Wuppertal 358,876

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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