Poverty and living standards in Berlin, Germany: official figures
Disposable household income was 24,200 PPS per person in 2023; 9th highest of 16 states in Germany.
How many people in Berlin are at risk of poverty?
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 24.4% in 2025, against 21.2% for Germany; 2nd highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Berlin?
19.1% of people in Berlin were at risk of poverty in 2024, measured against the median income of Berlin itself, 3rd highest of 16 Länder; the rate was 17.8% in 2019.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyHow much of their income do people in Berlin spend on rent?
Tenant households in Berlin spent 27.4% of their net income on rent excluding heating in 2022 (Germany: 27.9%), 6th lowest of 16 Länder.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the home ownership rate in Berlin?
16.0% of occupied homes in Berlin were lived in by their owners in 2022, the lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 41.8%).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Berlin?
Police in Berlin recorded 13,642 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, the highest of 16 Länder (Germany: 6,591).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Berlin?
The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 18.7% in 2025, measured against 60% of median income in Germany, compared with 16.1% nationally; 4th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Berlin cannot afford basic necessities?
5.6% of people suffered severe material and social deprivation in 2025, meaning they could not afford at least 7 of 13 basic items such as heating, a week away or replacing worn-out furniture, compared with 5.6% nationally; 7th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Berlin have nobody in work?
13.0% of people under 65 lived in households where adults worked less than a fifth of their potential in 2025, compared with 10.3% nationally; 2nd highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average income in Berlin?
Disposable household income averaged €26,400 per person in 2023 (Germany: €28,200; EU: €21,000); 8th lowest of 16 states in Germany. In 2013 it was €18,400.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Berlin use the internet?
92.1% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, compared with 93.6% nationally; 6th lowest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 85.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 91% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Each resident of Berlin had 47.1 square metres of living space on average in 2022, against 55.4 m² nationally. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- The Gini coefficient of income inequality in Berlin was 31.8 in 2025 (Germany: 30.1), the most unequal of 16 Länder. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- 26.3 people per 100,000 residents of Berlin were held in pre-trial detention in 2025, against 17.5 nationally. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
How Berlin compares with other states
At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) (2024)
Berlin ranks 3 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremen | 19.7% |
| 2 | Hamburg | 19.5% |
| 3 | Berlin | 19.1% |
| 4 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 17.8% |
| 5 | Saarland | 17.6% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 17.3% |
| 7 | Hesse | 17.2% |
Rent as a share of tenant household net income (2022)
Berlin ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Rent as a share of tenant household net income |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Baden-Württemberg | 28.0% |
| 9 | Bavaria | 28.0% |
| 10 | Lower Saxony | 28.0% |
| 11 | Berlin | 27.4% |
| 12 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 25.9% |
| 13 | Brandenburg | 25.3% |
| 14 | Saxony-Anhalt | 24.4% |
Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents (2025)
Berlin ranks 1 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin | 13,642 |
| 2 | Bremen | 13,393 |
| 3 | Hamburg | 11,468 |
| 4 | Saxony-Anhalt | 8,090 |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 7,524 |
| 6 | Thuringia | 6,912 |
| 7 | Saxony | 6,656 |
Owner-occupied share of homes (2022)
Berlin ranks 16 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Owner-occupied share of homes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Thuringia | 42.2% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 38.5% |
| 12 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 37.8% |
| 13 | Saxony | 34.5% |
| 14 | Bremen | 32.2% |
| 15 | Hamburg | 20.1% |
| 16 | Berlin | 16.0% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2025)
Berlin ranks 4 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremen | 27.5% |
| 2 | Saxony-Anhalt | 21.3% |
| 3 | Hamburg | 18.9% |
| 4 | Berlin | 18.7% |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 17.6% |
| 6 | Lower Saxony | 17.4% |
| 7 | Thuringia | 17.4% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2025)
Berlin ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 7.0% |
| 5 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 6.7% |
| 6 | Lower Saxony | 6.5% |
| 7 | Berlin | 5.6% |
| 8 | Hamburg | 5.6% |
| 9 | Baden-Württemberg | 5.5% |
| 10 | Hesse | 5.4% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2025)
Berlin ranks 2 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremen | 22.7% |
| 2 | Berlin | 13.0% |
| 3 | Saxony-Anhalt | 13.0% |
| 4 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 12.9% |
| 5 | Lower Saxony | 12.5% |
| 6 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 12.1% |
| 7 | Schleswig-Holstein | 11.0% |
Disposable household income per person (euros) (2023)
Berlin ranks 9 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Disposable household income per person (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Rhineland-Palatinate | €27,600 |
| 7 | North Rhine-Westphalia | €27,300 |
| 8 | Lower Saxony | €27,300 |
| 9 | Berlin | €26,400 |
| 10 | Brandenburg | €26,000 |
| 11 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | €25,400 |
| 12 | Saxony | €25,300 |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Berlin ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Saxony | 93.4% |
| 9 | Bavaria | 93.2% |
| 10 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 92.6% |
| 11 | Berlin | 92.1% |
| 12 | Thuringia | 90.2% |
| 13 | Bremen | 89.7% |
| 14 | Brandenburg | 89.5% |
More on Berlin: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Disposable household income per person (PPS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd6019768e9f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Income of households by NUTS 2 region (euros per inhabitant), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7441dafca51…)
- Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren): Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren der Länder: Tabellenband mit kompletten Zeitreihen zu allen Indikatoren (October 2026 edition), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f3f1b692389…)
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