Südwestpfalz: population, economy and official figures
Südwestpfalz is a district (Kreis) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Südwestpfalz had 89,974 residents on 1 January 2025, 2.2% of Rhineland-Palatinate and 0.11% of Germany; 332nd largest of 400 districts in Germany.
89,974
94.4
51.9
27.6%
954
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Südwestpfalz: GDP per person was 18,500 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 48% of the EU average (117% for Germany); the lowest of 400 districts in Germany.
- Health in Südwestpfalz: In 2024, Südwestpfalz had 7.2 doctors per 10,000 residents, compared with 13.1 in the median German district, which ranks it the lowest of 400 districts. In 2019 the figure was 8.1.
- Education in Südwestpfalz: At 3.8% in 2023, the share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) in Südwestpfalz ranked 24th lowest of 400 German districts (district median 7.0%). In 2019 the figure was 5.5%.
- Poverty and living standards in Südwestpfalz: In 2023, Südwestpfalz recorded a share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) of 3.3%, compared with 6.5% in the median German district, which ranks it 53rd lowest of 400 districts. It was 3.1% in 2019.
- Government budget and revenue in Südwestpfalz: The tax revenue of its municipalities per resident in Südwestpfalz was €1,096 in 2023, 61st lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at €1,446. In 2019 the figure was €836.
Is the population of Südwestpfalz growing?
That is 6.7% fewer people than in 2015 (96,410).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Südwestpfalz?
There were 94.4 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Südwestpfalz?
The median age was 51.9 years in 2025, against 45.5 for Germany; 35th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Südwestpfalz?
27.6% of residents were 65 or older and 12.7% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Südwestpfalz?
In 2024 there were 688 live births and 1,373 deaths, a natural decrease of 685.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Südwestpfalz?
It covers 954 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Südwestpfalz?
Net migration added 5.5 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -7.6 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 Rhineland-Palatinate
- Mainz, Kreisfreie Stadt 224,684
- Mayen-Koblenz 217,228
- Westerwaldkreis 207,803
- Mainz-Bingen 206,454
- Neuwied 189,061
- Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Kreisfreie Stadt 177,222
- Bad Kreuznach 164,748
- Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis 155,882
- Trier-Saarburg 148,953
- Bad Dürkheim 134,329
- Altenkirchen (Westerwald) 132,125
- Germersheim 131,383
- Alzey-Worms 131,238
- Ahrweiler 129,353
- Rhein-Lahn-Kreis 125,588
- Koblenz, Kreisfreie Stadt 113,378
- Bernkastel-Wittlich 113,187
- Südliche Weinstraße 113,031
- Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis 106,705
- Kaiserslautern, Landkreis 106,343
- Trier, Kreisfreie Stadt 104,342
- Kaiserslautern, Kreisfreie Stadt 100,426
- Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm 99,788
- Worms, Kreisfreie Stadt 86,753
- Birkenfeld 82,611
- Donnersbergkreis 74,783
- Kusel 69,334
- Cochem-Zell 61,608
- Vulkaneifel 59,313
- Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Kreisfreie Stadt 52,945
- Speyer, Kreisfreie Stadt 49,564
- Landau in der Pfalz, Kreisfreie Stadt 48,209
- Frankenthal (Pfalz), Kreisfreie Stadt 48,140
- Pirmasens, Kreisfreie Stadt 39,761
- Zweibrücken, Kreisfreie Stadt 33,323
Up a level: Rhineland-Palatinate · 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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