Government budget and revenue in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany: official figures
Schleswig-Holstein and its municipalities owed €12,905 per inhabitant to the non-public sector at the end of 2024, 6th highest of 16 Länder.
What is the total debt of Schleswig-Holstein?
Total debt of Schleswig-Holstein and its municipalities to the non-public sector was €38.2 billion at the end of 2024, up 3.1% on a year earlier and 4.9% of all Länder and municipal debt.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyIs the debt of Schleswig-Holstein rising?
Debt per inhabitant in Schleswig-Holstein rose from €10,843 in 2010 to €12,905 in 2024, a change of +19%.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyDoes Schleswig-Holstein have a budget deficit?
In 2025 the public budgets of Schleswig-Holstein (Land and municipalities together) closed with a deficit of €1,711 million, or €578 per inhabitant in deficit; in 2024 the result was a deficit of €1,869 million.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyMore figures
- Of that, the Land government itself accounted for €10,908 per head and the municipalities and municipal associations for €1,996 per head (2024). Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- That debt equalled 30.1% of Schleswig-Holstein's GDP in 2024, 5th highest of 16 Länder. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- The Land budget alone recorded a deficit of €438 million in 2025. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
How Schleswig-Holstein compares with other states
Debt of Land and municipalities to the non-public sector per inhabitant (€) (2024)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 6 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Debt of Land and municipalities to the non-public sector per inhabitant (€) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Hamburg | €17,578 |
| 4 | Saarland | €16,482 |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | €13,239 |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | €12,905 |
| 7 | Saxony-Anhalt | €11,850 |
| 8 | Hesse | €10,106 |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | €9,462 |
Debt of Land and municipalities as a share of GDP (2024)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 5 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Debt of Land and municipalities as a share of GDP |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Saarland | 39.2% |
| 3 | Berlin | 32.2% |
| 4 | Saxony-Anhalt | 31.9% |
| 5 | Schleswig-Holstein | 30.1% |
| 6 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 27.4% |
| 7 | Brandenburg | 23.4% |
| 8 | Thuringia | 21.5% |
Budget balance of Land and municipalities per inhabitant (€, negative = deficit) (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 10 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Budget balance of Land and municipalities per inhabitant (€, negative = deficit) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Saarland | -€405 |
| 8 | Bremen | -€424 |
| 9 | Hesse | -€449 |
| 10 | Schleswig-Holstein | -€578 |
| 11 | Lower Saxony | -€599 |
| 12 | North Rhine-Westphalia | -€626 |
| 13 | Berlin | -€676 |
More on Schleswig-Holstein: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Germany
Sources
- 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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