Karlsruhe: population and official figures

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Karlsruhe: Karlsruhe's unemployment rate was 4.6% in 2023, 2nd lowest of 22 large German cities and 176th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 3.9%.
• Health in Karlsruhe: Among 22 large German cities, Karlsruhe had the 8th highest number of doctors per 10,000 residents in 2024, at 18.5 (median of all 400 districts: 13.1). In 2019 it was 17.9.
• Education in Karlsruhe: Karlsruhe's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 6.4% in 2023, 10th lowest of 22 large German cities and 155th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 5.9%.
• Poverty and living standards in Karlsruhe: Among 22 large German cities, Karlsruhe had the 2nd lowest share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) in 2023, at 6.2% (median of all 400 districts: 6.5%). In 2019 it was 5.8%.
• Government budget and revenue in Karlsruhe: Karlsruhe's tax revenue of its municipalities per resident was €2,431 in 2023, 7th highest of 22 large German cities and 17th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was €1,913.

Who runs Karlsruhe?

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

• Essen 584,580
• Bremen 569,396
• Dresden 563,311
• Hannover 545,045
• Nürnberg 523,026
• Duisburg 502,211
• Bochum 365,742
• Wuppertal 358,876
• Bielefeld 338,332
• Bonn 336,465
• Münster 320,946
• Mannheim 315,554
• Augsburg 301,033

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_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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