Erzgebirgskreis: population, economy and official figures
Erzgebirgskreis is a district (Kreis) in Saxony, Germany. Erzgebirgskreis had 318,394 residents on 1 January 2025, 7.9% of Saxony and 0.38% of Germany; 51st largest of 400 districts in Germany.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Erzgebirgskreis: GDP per person was 26,300 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 68% of the EU average (117% for Germany); 373rd highest of 400 districts in Germany.
- Health in Erzgebirgskreis: At 12.7 in 2024, the number of doctors per 10,000 residents in Erzgebirgskreis ranked 167th lowest of 400 German districts (district median 13.1). In 2019 the figure was 12.6.
- Education in Erzgebirgskreis: In 2023, Erzgebirgskreis recorded a share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) of 7.7%, compared with 7.0% in the median German district, which ranks it 170th highest of 400 districts. In 2019 the figure was 7.6%.
- Poverty and living standards in Erzgebirgskreis: At 5.6% in 2023, the share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) in Erzgebirgskreis ranked 141st lowest of 400 German districts (district median 6.5%). That is up from 5.4% in 2019.
- Government budget and revenue in Erzgebirgskreis: The tax revenue of its municipalities per resident in Erzgebirgskreis was €890 in 2023, 11th lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at €1,446. It was €724 in 2019.
Is the population of Erzgebirgskreis growing?
That is 8.9% fewer people than in 2015 (349,582).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Erzgebirgskreis?
There were 175.9 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Erzgebirgskreis?
The median age was 53.2 years in 2025, against 45.5 for Germany; 20th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Erzgebirgskreis?
31.9% of residents were 65 or older and 12.5% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Erzgebirgskreis?
In 2024 there were 1,719 live births and 5,186 deaths, a natural decrease of 3,467.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Erzgebirgskreis?
It covers 1,828 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Erzgebirgskreis?
The net migration rate was -1.0 per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -10.8 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 Saxony
- Leipzig, Kreisfreie Stadt 611,850
- Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt 564,904
- Zwickau 306,793
- Mittelsachsen 296,431
- Bautzen 292,608
- Leipzig 260,127
- Chemnitz, Kreisfreie Stadt 245,618
- Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge 243,996
- Görlitz 243,958
- Meißen 239,221
- Vogtlandkreis 219,100
- Nordsachsen 199,422
Up a level: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.