Osterholz: population, economy and official figures
Osterholz is a district (Kreis) in Lower Saxony, Germany. Osterholz had 113,598 residents on 1 January 2025, 1.4% of Lower Saxony and 0.14% of Germany; 286th largest of 400 districts in Germany.
113,598
176
49.3
24.9%
653
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Osterholz: GDP per person was 24,400 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 64% of the EU average (117% for Germany); 389th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
- Health in Osterholz: The number of doctors per 10,000 residents in Osterholz was 10.4 in 2024, 32nd lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at 13.1. That is down from 11.6 in 2019.
- Education in Osterholz: In 2023, Osterholz recorded a share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) of 4.0%, compared with 7.0% in the median German district, which ranks it 26th lowest of 400 districts. In 2019 the figure was 4.7%.
- Poverty and living standards in Osterholz: At 5.4% in 2023, the share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) in Osterholz ranked 132nd lowest of 400 German districts (district median 6.5%). It was 4.8% in 2019.
- Government budget and revenue in Osterholz: In 2023, Osterholz recorded a tax revenue of its municipalities per resident of €1,254, compared with €1,446 in the median German district, which ranks it 118th lowest of 400 districts. In 2019 the figure was €1,032.
Is the population of Osterholz growing?
That is 1.9% more people than in 2015 (111,484).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Osterholz?
There were 176 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Osterholz?
The median age was 49.3 years in 2025, against 45.5 for Germany; 96th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Osterholz?
24.9% of residents were 65 or older and 14.5% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Osterholz?
In 2024 there were 794 live births and 1,439 deaths, a natural decrease of 645.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Osterholz?
It covers 653 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Osterholz?
Net migration added 4.0 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -5.7 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from Germany's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other districts in Lower Saxony
- Region Hannover 1,140,888
- Osnabrück, Landkreis 354,821
- Emsland 334,539
- Göttingen 328,028
- Hildesheim 267,506
- Harburg 265,864
- Braunschweig, Kreisfreie Stadt 252,962
- Diepholz 221,202
- Stade 207,700
- Cuxhaven 198,842
- Aurich 188,816
- Lüneburg, Landkreis 179,448
- Cloppenburg 177,025
- Oldenburg (Oldenburg), Kreisfreie Stadt 176,614
- Gifhorn 175,943
- Celle 172,449
- Leer 169,103
- Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt 166,057
- Rotenburg (Wümme) 165,904
- Schaumburg 156,841
- Hameln-Pyrmont 150,203
- Vechta 146,539
- Grafschaft Bentheim 144,543
- Heidekreis 141,321
- Verden 138,626
- Peine 137,045
- Oldenburg, Landkreis 132,008
- Wolfsburg, Kreisfreie Stadt 129,560
- Ammerland 127,751
- Goslar 126,775
- Northeim 125,623
- Nienburg (Weser) 121,468
- Wolfenbüttel 118,290
- Salzgitter, Kreisfreie Stadt 104,970
- Friesland (DE) 100,411
- Uelzen 91,638
- Helmstedt 90,227
- Wesermarsch 88,936
- Delmenhorst, Kreisfreie Stadt 81,406
- Wilhelmshaven, Kreisfreie Stadt 75,745
- Holzminden 65,581
- Wittmund 55,969
- Emden, Kreisfreie Stadt 49,202
- Lüchow-Dannenberg 46,502
Up a level: Lower Saxony · all regions of Germany · how local power works in Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- 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…)
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