Economy, jobs and prices in Köln, Germany: official figures
Köln's unemployment rate was 8.7% in 2023, 7th highest of 22 large German cities and 31st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 7.8%.
How high is youth unemployment in Köln?
Köln's unemployment rate among under-25s was 5.7% in 2023, 11th highest of 22 large German cities and 118th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 5.2%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many long-term unemployed are there in Köln?
Among 22 large German cities, Köln had the 2nd highest share of jobless people unemployed for a year or longer in 2023, at 45.1% (median of all 400 districts: 31.8%). In 2019 it was 42.3%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Köln?
Among 22 large German cities, Köln had the 9th highest median monthly gross wage of full-time employees in 2023, at €4,283 (median of all 400 districts: €3,604). In 2019 it was €3,882.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the gender pay gap in Köln?
Among 22 large German cities, Köln had the 10th highest median full-time wage of women as a share of men's in 2023, at 88.1% (median of all 400 districts: 88.5%). In 2019 it was 85.1%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the purchasing power in Köln?
Among 22 large German cities, Köln had the 7th highest purchasing power per resident in 2023, at €31,167 (median of all 400 districts: €29,371). In 2019 it was €25,316.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many mini-jobs are there in Köln?
Among 22 large German cities, Köln had the 10th highest share of private-sector jobs that are low-paid 'mini-jobs' in 2023, at 16.2% (median of all 400 districts: 19.7%). In 2019 it was 16.9%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people commute to Köln?
Köln's commuter balance (net commuters per 100 jobs) was +27.6 in 2023, 8th highest of 22 large German cities and 41st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was +26.8.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many businesses go bankrupt in Köln?
Köln's number of company insolvency applications per 1,000 businesses was 5.0 in 2023, 5th lowest of 22 large German cities and 101st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 6.6.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Köln?
The unemployment rate in Köln was 5.8% in 2024 (5.4% for women, 6.1% for men).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat are the main jobs in Köln?
691,000 jobs were based in Köln in 2024; the biggest employers were public administration, education and health (22% of jobs) and trade, transport, hotels and restaurants (21%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people commute to Köln?
277,941 people commuted into Köln for work in 2018 and 125,514 commuted out.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Köln?
Tourist accommodation in Köln recorded 2,557,212 nights in 2020, 24% by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow do people get to work in Köln?
In 2016, 32% of journeys to work in Köln were by public transport, 47% by car, 14% by bicycle and 7% on foot.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Köln?
There were 368 registered cars per 1,000 residents in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Köln compares with other cities in Germany
Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) – large cities (2023)
Köln ranks 7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Bremen | 10.0% |
| 5 | Wuppertal | 9.5% |
| 6 | Berlin | 9.1% |
| 7 | Köln | 8.7% |
| 8 | Bochum | 8.6% |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 8.2% |
| 10 | Hamburg | 7.4% |
Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) – large cities (2023)
Köln ranks 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Mannheim | €4,413 |
| 7 | Karlsruhe | €4,384 |
| 8 | Hamburg | €4,304 |
| 9 | Köln | €4,283 |
| 10 | Augsburg | €4,068 |
| 11 | Essen | €4,058 |
| 12 | Nürnberg | €4,035 |
Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) – large cities (2023)
Köln ranks 7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Frankfurt am Main | €32,742 |
| 5 | Bonn | €32,325 |
| 6 | Münster | €31,380 |
| 7 | Köln | €31,167 |
| 8 | Hamburg | €31,146 |
| 9 | Karlsruhe | €30,439 |
| 10 | Essen | €29,981 |
Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) – large cities (2023)
Köln ranks 10 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Düsseldorf | 63.8% |
| 8 | Stuttgart | 63.8% |
| 9 | Frankfurt am Main | 63.6% |
| 10 | Köln | 63.1% |
| 11 | Mannheim | 62.8% |
| 12 | Bielefeld | 62.2% |
| 13 | Berlin | 61.2% |
Journeys to work by public transport (2016)
Köln ranks 8 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Journeys to work by public transport |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Stuttgart | 37.7% |
| 6 | Offenbach am Main | 33.8% |
| 7 | Hannover | 31.9% |
| 8 | Köln | 31.8% |
| 9 | Düsseldorf | 31.1% |
| 10 | Mainz | 30.0% |
| 11 | Potsdam | 28.0% |
Cars per 1,000 residents (2023)
Köln ranks 62 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Cars per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 59 | Bremen | 372 |
| 60 | Darmstadt | 372 |
| 61 | Düsseldorf | 368 |
| 62 | Köln | 368 |
| 63 | Karlsruhe | 368 |
| 64 | Potsdam | 367 |
| 65 | Rostock | 367 |
Tourist nights (2020)
Köln ranks 6 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Tourist nights |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Hamburg | 6,796,976 |
| 4 | Frankfurt am Main | 4,085,447 |
| 5 | Dresden | 2,612,918 |
| 6 | Köln | 2,557,212 |
| 7 | Leipzig | 1,959,147 |
| 8 | Düsseldorf | 1,825,753 |
| 9 | Stuttgart | 1,648,103 |
More on Köln: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · 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_ctran: Urban Audit: transport (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e74aa07496…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.