Health in Essen, Germany: official figures
Among 22 large German cities, Essen had the 4th lowest number of doctors per 10,000 residents in 2024, at 14.4 (median of all 400 districts: 13.1). In 2019 it was 14.0.
Is there a shortage of GPs in Essen?
Essen's number of family doctors (GPs) per 10,000 residents was 5.3 in 2024, 3rd lowest of 22 large German cities and 67th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 5.5.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many hospital beds are there in Essen?
Essen's number of hospital beds per 1,000 residents was 8.4 in 2022, 7th highest of 22 large German cities and 87th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2018 it was 9.6.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people need long-term care in Essen?
Essen's number of people needing long-term care per 100 residents was 7.2 in 2023, 6th highest of 22 large German cities and 181st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 5.0.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people live in care homes in Essen?
Among 22 large German cities, Essen had the 6th highest share of people needing care who live in a nursing home in 2023, at 15.8% (median of all 400 districts: 14.1%). In 2019 it was 22.6%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many care home places are there in Essen?
Essen's number of nursing-home places per 10,000 residents was 118.1 in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 141st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 121.2.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many staff work in care homes in Essen?
Among 22 large German cities, Essen had the 10th highest number of nursing-home staff per 100 full-time residents in 2023, at 102.7 (median of all 400 districts: 102.1). In 2019 it was 103.3.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest pharmacy in Essen?
Essen's average distance from home to the nearest pharmacy was 521 metres in 2023, 11th longest of 22 large German cities and 28th shortest of 400 districts nationwide.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the infant mortality rate in Essen?
The infant mortality rate was 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the death rate in Essen?
There were 13.3 deaths per 1,000 residents in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people die young in Essen?
Of 7,621 deaths in Essen in 2024, 1,124 (15%) were of people under 65.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many road deaths are there in Essen?
3 people were killed in road accidents in Essen in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 84% of people in Essen were satisfied with health care services, doctors and hospitals (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Essen compares with other cities in Germany
Doctors per 10,000 residents – large cities (2024)
Essen ranks 19 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Ärzte je 10.000 Einwohner; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Doctors per 10,000 residents – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Wuppertal | 16.5 |
| 17 | Bochum | 16.0 |
| 18 | Bremen | 15.4 |
| 19 | Essen | 14.4 |
| 20 | Leipzig | 14.1 |
| 21 | Dortmund | 13.7 |
| 22 | Duisburg | 12.1 |
Family doctors (GPs) per 10,000 residents – large cities (2024)
Essen ranks 20 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Hausärzte je 10.000 Einwohner; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Family doctors (GPs) per 10,000 residents – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Wuppertal | 5.8 |
| 17 | Bremen | 5.7 |
| 18 | Bielefeld | 5.7 |
| 19 | Dortmund | 5.5 |
| 20 | Essen | 5.3 |
| 21 | Augsburg | 5.3 |
| 22 | Duisburg | 4.8 |
People needing long-term care per 100 residents – large cities (2023)
Essen ranks 6 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Pflegebedürftige je 100 Einwohner; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | People needing long-term care per 100 residents – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Dresden | 7.8 |
| 4 | Köln | 7.2 |
| 5 | Bochum | 7.2 |
| 6 | Essen | 7.2 |
| 7 | Dortmund | 7.1 |
| 8 | Wuppertal | 7.0 |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 6.8 |
Nursing-home places per 10,000 residents – large cities (2023)
Essen ranks 2 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Verfügbare Plätze in Pflegeheimen je 10.000 Einwohner; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Nursing-home places per 10,000 residents – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leipzig | 122.4 |
| 2 | Essen | 118.1 |
| 3 | Dresden | 110.7 |
| 4 | Nürnberg | 109.0 |
| 5 | Wuppertal | 105.0 |
| 6 | Duisburg | 103.4 |
| 7 | Bochum | 101.9 |
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2023)
Essen ranks 36 of 56, highest first.
| Rank | City | Infant deaths per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Magdeburg | 3.0 |
| 34 | Heidelberg | 3.0 |
| 35 | Aachen | 2.9 |
| 36 | Essen | 2.8 |
| 37 | Berlin | 2.8 |
| 38 | Mainz | 2.8 |
| 39 | Hagen | 2.7 |
Deaths per 1,000 residents (2024)
Essen ranks 10 of 76, highest first.
| Rank | City | Deaths per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Rostock | 13.7 |
| 8 | Bergisch Gladbach | 13.5 |
| 9 | Oberhausen | 13.3 |
| 10 | Essen | 13.3 |
| 11 | Hildesheim | 13.2 |
| 12 | Saarbrücken | 13.1 |
| 13 | Bremerhaven | 13.1 |
More on Essen: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Germany
Sources
- 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_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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