Poverty and living standards in Hesse, Germany: official figures
Disposable household income was 26,500 PPS per person in 2023; 4th highest of 16 states in Germany.
How many people in Hesse are at risk of poverty?
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 22.3% in 2025, against 21.2% for Germany; 8th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Hesse?
17.2% of people in Hesse were at risk of poverty in 2024, measured against the median income of Hesse itself, 7th highest of 16 Länder; the rate was 17.0% in 2019.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyHow much of their income do people in Hesse spend on rent?
Tenant households in Hesse spent 29.6% of their net income on rent excluding heating in 2022 (Germany: 27.9%), 5th highest of 16 Länder.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the home ownership rate in Hesse?
42.2% of occupied homes in Hesse were lived in by their owners in 2022, 8th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 41.8%).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Hesse?
Police in Hesse recorded 6,002 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 4th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 6,591).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Hesse?
17.3% of people lived below the poverty line (60% of national median income after social transfers) in 2025, against 16.1% for Germany as a whole; 8th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Hesse cannot afford basic necessities?
5.4% 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, against 5.6% for Germany as a whole; 7th lowest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Hesse have nobody in work?
Very low work intensity affected 9.7% of people under 65 in 2025 (households where working-age adults worked under 20% of the time they could), against 10.3% for Germany as a whole; 4th lowest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average income in Hesse?
Disposable household income averaged €28,900 per person in 2023, compared with €28,200 nationally and €21,000 in the EU; 4th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2013 it was €21,200.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Hesse use the internet?
93.7% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, against 93.6% for Germany as a whole; 7th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 87.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 92% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Each resident of Hesse had 58.0 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 Hesse was 31.3 in 2025 (Germany: 30.1), 3rd most unequal of 16 Länder. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- 22.4 people per 100,000 residents of Hesse 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 Hesse compares with other states
At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) (2024)
Hesse ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 17.8% |
| 5 | Saarland | 17.6% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 17.3% |
| 7 | Hesse | 17.2% |
| 8 | Lower Saxony | 16.6% |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 16.6% |
| 10 | Baden-Württemberg | 15.1% |
Rent as a share of tenant household net income (2022)
Hesse ranks 5 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Rent as a share of tenant household net income |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Hamburg | 30.3% |
| 3 | Schleswig-Holstein | 30.2% |
| 4 | Saarland | 30.0% |
| 5 | Hesse | 29.6% |
| 6 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 29.1% |
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 28.6% |
| 8 | Baden-Württemberg | 28.0% |
Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents (2025)
Hesse ranks 13 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Brandenburg | 6,512 |
| 11 | Lower Saxony | 6,329 |
| 12 | Schleswig-Holstein | 6,046 |
| 13 | Hesse | 6,002 |
| 14 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 5,427 |
| 15 | Baden-Württemberg | 4,902 |
| 16 | Bavaria | 4,371 |
Owner-occupied share of homes (2022)
Hesse ranks 9 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Owner-occupied share of homes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 45.6% |
| 7 | Brandenburg | 44.9% |
| 8 | Saxony-Anhalt | 42.3% |
| 9 | Hesse | 42.2% |
| 10 | Thuringia | 42.2% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 38.5% |
| 12 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 37.8% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2025)
Hesse ranks 8 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 17.6% |
| 6 | Lower Saxony | 17.4% |
| 7 | Thuringia | 17.4% |
| 8 | Hesse | 17.3% |
| 9 | Schleswig-Holstein | 16.8% |
| 10 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 16.8% |
| 11 | Saxony | 16.7% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2025)
Hesse ranks 10 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Berlin | 5.6% |
| 8 | Hamburg | 5.6% |
| 9 | Baden-Württemberg | 5.5% |
| 10 | Hesse | 5.4% |
| 11 | Brandenburg | 5.4% |
| 12 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 5.2% |
| 13 | Schleswig-Holstein | 4.7% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2025)
Hesse ranks 13 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Saarland | 10.3% |
| 11 | Saxony | 10.2% |
| 12 | Brandenburg | 9.8% |
| 13 | Hesse | 9.7% |
| 14 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 9.5% |
| 15 | Baden-Württemberg | 8.3% |
| 16 | Bavaria | 6.7% |
Disposable household income per person (euros) (2023)
Hesse ranks 4 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Disposable household income per person (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavaria | €31,500 |
| 2 | Baden-Württemberg | €29,900 |
| 3 | Hamburg | €29,900 |
| 4 | Hesse | €28,900 |
| 5 | Schleswig-Holstein | €28,800 |
| 6 | Rhineland-Palatinate | €27,600 |
| 7 | North Rhine-Westphalia | €27,300 |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Hesse ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Lower Saxony | 94.6% |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 94.0% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 93.9% |
| 7 | Hesse | 93.7% |
| 8 | Saxony | 93.4% |
| 9 | Bavaria | 93.2% |
| 10 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 92.6% |
More on Hesse: 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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