Economy, jobs and prices in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany): official figures
GDP per person was 52,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 135% of the EU average (117% for Germany); 65th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
How big is the economy of Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
The local economy produced €14.6 billion of output (GDP) in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
About 180,810 people worked in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Kiel?
The unemployment rate in the city of Kiel was 7.6% in 2023, 60th highest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at 5.0%. It was also 7.6% in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow high is youth unemployment in Kiel?
At 5.2% in 2023, the unemployment rate among under-25s in the city of Kiel ranked 153rd highest of 400 German districts (district median 4.4%). That is up from 4.9% in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many long-term unemployed are there in Kiel?
At 35.2% in 2023, the share of jobless people unemployed for a year or longer in the city of Kiel ranked 136th highest of 400 German districts (district median 31.8%). That is down from 36.5% in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Kiel?
In 2023, the city of Kiel recorded a median monthly gross wage of full-time employees of €3,923, compared with €3,604 in the median German district, which ranks it 74th highest of 400 districts. In 2019 the figure was €3,513.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the gender pay gap in Kiel?
At 91.3% in 2023, the median full-time wage of women as a share of men's in the city of Kiel ranked 126th highest of 400 German districts (district median 88.5%). It was 89.6% in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the purchasing power in Kiel?
The purchasing power per resident in the city of Kiel was €26,792 in 2023, 28th lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at €29,371. It was €21,222 in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many mini-jobs are there in Kiel?
In 2023, the city of Kiel recorded a share of private-sector jobs that are low-paid 'mini-jobs' of 17.2%, compared with 19.7% in the median German district, which ranks it 130th lowest of 400 districts. That is down from 18.3% in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people commute to Kiel?
The commuter balance (net commuters per 100 jobs) in the city of Kiel was +25.7 in 2023, 47th highest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at -11.7. It was +26.7 in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many businesses go bankrupt in Kiel?
The number of company insolvency applications per 1,000 businesses in the city of Kiel was 4.8 in 2023, 119th highest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at 3.9. It was 5.1 in 2019.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
The largest part of the economy of Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt in 2023 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 37.9% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (27.1%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
Factories, mines and energy produced 15.0% of the value added in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt in 2023, against 24.5% for Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt growing?
Gross value added rose from €9.4 billion in 2015 to €13.4 billion in 2023 in current prices, an increase of 42% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
Of the 180,810 jobs located in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt in 2023, 45% in public services, education, health and other services, 10% in industry and 0.0% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt?
The number of people working in Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt rose by 6.4% between 2015 and 2023, to 180,810.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt compares with other districts in Germany
Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 60 of 400, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Arbeitslosen an den zivilen Erwerbspersonen in %
| Rank | Area | Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | Cottbus, Kreisfreie Stadt | 7.8% |
| 58 | Bottrop, Kreisfreie Stadt | 7.7% |
| 59 | Remscheid, Kreisfreie Stadt | 7.6% |
| 60 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | 7.6% |
| 61 | Anhalt-Bitterfeld | 7.6% |
| 62 | Region Hannover | 7.5% |
| 63 | Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis | 7.4% |
Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 74 of 400, highest first. INKAR indicator: Medianeinkommen der sozialversicherungspflichtig Vollzeitbeschäftigten in Euro
| Rank | Area | Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Region Hannover | €3,944 |
| 72 | Koblenz, Kreisfreie Stadt | €3,938 |
| 73 | Rhein-Kreis Neuss | €3,924 |
| 74 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | €3,923 |
| 75 | Schwäbisch Hall | €3,923 |
| 76 | Lörrach | €3,917 |
| 77 | Regionalverband Saarbrücken | €3,911 |
Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 373 of 400, highest first. INKAR indicator: Kaufkraft je Einwohner in Euro
| Rank | Area | Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 370 | Uckermark | €26,866 |
| 371 | Sonneberg | €26,855 |
| 372 | Frankfurt (Oder), Kreisfreie Stadt | €26,827 |
| 373 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | €26,792 |
| 374 | Weimarer Land | €26,789 |
| 375 | Nordhausen | €26,762 |
| 376 | Elbe-Elster | €26,734 |
Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 387 of 400, highest first. INKAR indicator: SV Beschäftigte am Wohnort je 100 Einwohner im erwerbsfähigen Alter in %
| Rank | Area | Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) |
|---|---|---|
| 384 | Oberhausen, Kreisfreie Stadt | 57.5% |
| 385 | Wilhelmshaven, Kreisfreie Stadt | 57.4% |
| 386 | Bremerhaven, Kreisfreie Stadt | 57.2% |
| 387 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | 56.8% |
| 388 | Städteregion Aachen | 56.6% |
| 389 | Duisburg, Kreisfreie Stadt | 56.2% |
| 390 | Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis | 55.7% |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 351 of 400, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 348 | Cochem-Zell | 15.1% |
| 349 | Kaiserslautern, Landkreis | 15.1% |
| 350 | Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis | 15.0% |
| 351 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | 15.0% |
| 352 | Kempten (Allgäu), Kreisfreie Stadt | 15.0% |
| 353 | Fürstenfeldbruck | 14.9% |
| 354 | Osnabrück, Kreisfreie Stadt | 14.9% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 69 of 400, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Schweinfurt, Landkreis | 27.3% |
| 67 | Neustadt a. d. Aisch-Bad Windsheim | 27.2% |
| 68 | Aurich | 27.2% |
| 69 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | 27.1% |
| 70 | Bremerhaven, Kreisfreie Stadt | 27.0% |
| 71 | Würzburg, Kreisfreie Stadt | 26.8% |
| 72 | Mannheim, Stadtkreis | 26.7% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2023)
Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt ranks 20 of 400, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis | 38.4% |
| 18 | Würzburg, Kreisfreie Stadt | 38.2% |
| 19 | Trier, Kreisfreie Stadt | 38.0% |
| 20 | Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt | 37.9% |
| 21 | Dessau-Roßlau, Kreisfreie Stadt | 37.8% |
| 22 | Delmenhorst, Kreisfreie Stadt | 37.4% |
| 23 | Vorpommern-Greifswald | 36.9% |
More on Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Schleswig-Holstein · Germany
Sources
- 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 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…)
- 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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