Economy, jobs and prices in Dortmund, Germany: official figures
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%.
How high is youth unemployment in Dortmund?
Dortmund's unemployment rate among under-25s was 9.6% in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 18th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 8.5%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many long-term unemployed are there in Dortmund?
Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the 4th highest share of jobless people unemployed for a year or longer in 2023, at 43.9% (median of all 400 districts: 31.8%). In 2019 it was 39.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Dortmund?
Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the 5th lowest median monthly gross wage of full-time employees in 2023, at €3,858 (median of all 400 districts: €3,604). In 2019 it was €3,508.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the gender pay gap in Dortmund?
Dortmund's median full-time wage of women as a share of men's was 92.5% in 2023, 5th highest of 22 large German cities and 108th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 89.4%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the purchasing power in Dortmund?
Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the 5th lowest purchasing power per resident in 2023, at €28,131 (median of all 400 districts: €29,371). In 2019 it was €22,458.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many mini-jobs are there in Dortmund?
Among 22 large German cities, Dortmund had the 7th highest share of private-sector jobs that are low-paid 'mini-jobs' in 2023, at 17.4% (median of all 400 districts: 19.7%). In 2019 it was 18.4%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people commute to Dortmund?
Dortmund's commuter balance (net commuters per 100 jobs) was +13.4 in 2023, 6th lowest of 22 large German cities and 75th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was +12.4.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many businesses go bankrupt in Dortmund?
Dortmund's number of company insolvency applications per 1,000 businesses was 7.3 in 2023, 5th highest of 22 large German cities and 18th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 9.8.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Dortmund?
The unemployment rate in Dortmund was 5.9% in 2024 (6.5% for women, 5.5% for men).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat are the main jobs in Dortmund?
314,000 jobs were based in Dortmund in 2024; the biggest employers were trade, transport, hotels and restaurants (25% of jobs) and public administration, education and health (22%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people commute to Dortmund?
109,199 people commuted into Dortmund for work in 2018 and 81,473 commuted out.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Dortmund?
Tourist accommodation in Dortmund recorded 673,061 nights in 2020, 17% by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow do people get to work in Dortmund?
In 2016, 22% of journeys to work in Dortmund were by public transport, 66% by car, 4% by bicycle and 8% on foot.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Dortmund?
There were 452 registered cars per 1,000 residents in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In the EU's 2023 survey of quality of life in European cities, 80% of residents of Dortmund were satisfied with public transport. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- In the EU's 2023 survey of quality of life in European cities, 39% of residents of Dortmund agreed that it is easy to find a good job in the city. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Dortmund compares with other cities in Germany
Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) – large cities (2023)
Dortmund ranks 2 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Arbeitslosen an den zivilen Erwerbspersonen in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duisburg | 12.8% |
| 2 | Dortmund | 11.5% |
| 3 | Essen | 10.6% |
| 4 | Bremen | 10.0% |
| 5 | Wuppertal | 9.5% |
| 6 | Berlin | 9.1% |
| 7 | Köln | 8.7% |
Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) – large cities (2023)
Dortmund ranks 18 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Medianeinkommen der sozialversicherungspflichtig Vollzeitbeschäftigten in Euro; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Duisburg | €3,982 |
| 16 | Berlin | €3,982 |
| 17 | Bielefeld | €3,885 |
| 18 | Dortmund | €3,858 |
| 19 | Wuppertal | €3,851 |
| 20 | Bochum | €3,793 |
| 21 | Dresden | €3,689 |
Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) – large cities (2023)
Dortmund ranks 18 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Kaufkraft je Einwohner in Euro; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Bochum | €28,640 |
| 16 | Leipzig | €28,503 |
| 17 | Bremen | €28,361 |
| 18 | Dortmund | €28,131 |
| 19 | Berlin | €27,823 |
| 20 | Mannheim | €27,660 |
| 21 | Dresden | €27,262 |
Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) – large cities (2023)
Dortmund ranks 20 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: SV Beschäftigte am Wohnort je 100 Einwohner im erwerbsfähigen Alter in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Karlsruhe | 60.1% |
| 17 | Bonn | 59.3% |
| 18 | Essen | 59.0% |
| 19 | Wuppertal | 58.2% |
| 20 | Dortmund | 58.0% |
| 21 | Bremen | 57.6% |
| 22 | Duisburg | 56.2% |
Journeys to work by public transport (2016)
Dortmund ranks 26 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Journeys to work by public transport |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Wiesbaden | 23.2% |
| 24 | Wuppertal | 23.1% |
| 25 | Mannheim | 22.9% |
| 26 | Dortmund | 22.5% |
| 27 | Ludwigshafen am Rhein | 22.4% |
| 28 | Rostock | 22.3% |
| 29 | Aachen | 21.9% |
Cars per 1,000 residents (2023)
Dortmund ranks 26 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Cars per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Heilbronn | 459 |
| 24 | Oldenburg | 455 |
| 25 | Bielefeld | 454 |
| 26 | Dortmund | 452 |
| 27 | Koblenz | 452 |
| 28 | Wolfsburg | 452 |
| 29 | Saarbrücken | 452 |
Tourist nights (2020)
Dortmund ranks 22 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Tourist nights |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Bonn | 765,482 |
| 20 | Essen | 732,762 |
| 21 | Münster | 712,673 |
| 22 | Dortmund | 673,061 |
| 23 | Wiesbaden | 654,564 |
| 24 | Regensburg | 598,647 |
| 25 | Kiel | 567,514 |
More on Dortmund: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctour: Urban Audit: culture and tourism (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 235d13e6125c…)
- 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…)
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