Poverty and living standards in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany: official figures
Disposable household income was 26,500 PPS per person in 2023; 5th highest of 16 states in Germany.
How many people in Schleswig-Holstein are at risk of poverty?
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 20.9% in 2025, against 21.2% for Germany; 12th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Schleswig-Holstein?
17.3% of people in Schleswig-Holstein were at risk of poverty in 2024, measured against the median income of Schleswig-Holstein itself, 6th highest of 16 Länder; the rate was 15.9% in 2019.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyHow much of their income do people in Schleswig-Holstein spend on rent?
Tenant households in Schleswig-Holstein spent 30.2% of their net income on rent excluding heating in 2022 (Germany: 27.9%), 3rd highest of 16 Länder.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the home ownership rate in Schleswig-Holstein?
45.6% of occupied homes in Schleswig-Holstein were lived in by their owners in 2022, 6th highest of 16 Länder (Germany: 41.8%).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Schleswig-Holstein?
Police in Schleswig-Holstein recorded 6,046 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 5th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 6,591).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Schleswig-Holstein?
16.8% of people lived below the poverty line (60% of national median income after social transfers) in 2025 (Germany: 16.1%); 8th lowest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Schleswig-Holstein cannot afford basic necessities?
4.7% of people suffered severe material and social deprivation in 2025, meaning they could not afford at least 7 of 13 basic items such as heating, a week away or replacing worn-out furniture (Germany: 5.6%); 4th lowest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Schleswig-Holstein have nobody in work?
11.0% of people under 65 lived in households where adults worked less than a fifth of their potential in 2025 (Germany: 10.3%); 7th highest of 16 states in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average income in Schleswig-Holstein?
After taxes and benefits, households had €28,800 per person to spend or save in 2023, against €28,200 for Germany as a whole and €21,000 across the EU; 5th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2013 it was €20,700.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Schleswig-Holstein use the internet?
93.9% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025 (Germany: 93.6%); 6th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 87.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 90% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- Each resident of Schleswig-Holstein had 56.4 square metres of living space on average in 2022, against 55.4 m² nationally. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- The Gini coefficient of income inequality in Schleswig-Holstein was 30.1 in 2025 (Germany: 30.1), 8th most unequal of 16 Länder. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
- 7.8 people per 100,000 residents of Schleswig-Holstein were held in pre-trial detention in 2025, against 17.5 nationally. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
How Schleswig-Holstein compares with other states
At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) (2024)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 6 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (60% of the Land median income) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Berlin | 19.1% |
| 4 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 17.8% |
| 5 | Saarland | 17.6% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 17.3% |
| 7 | Hesse | 17.2% |
| 8 | Lower Saxony | 16.6% |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 16.6% |
Rent as a share of tenant household net income (2022)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 3 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Rent as a share of tenant household net income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremen | 30.8% |
| 2 | Hamburg | 30.3% |
| 3 | Schleswig-Holstein | 30.2% |
| 4 | Saarland | 30.0% |
| 5 | Hesse | 29.6% |
| 6 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 29.1% |
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 28.6% |
Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 12 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded crimes per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Saarland | 6,558 |
| 10 | Brandenburg | 6,512 |
| 11 | Lower Saxony | 6,329 |
| 12 | Schleswig-Holstein | 6,046 |
| 13 | Hesse | 6,002 |
| 14 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 5,427 |
| 15 | Baden-Württemberg | 4,902 |
Owner-occupied share of homes (2022)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 6 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Owner-occupied share of homes |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Lower Saxony | 48.8% |
| 4 | Baden-Württemberg | 48.3% |
| 5 | Bavaria | 45.7% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 45.6% |
| 7 | Brandenburg | 44.9% |
| 8 | Saxony-Anhalt | 42.3% |
| 9 | Hesse | 42.2% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 9 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Lower Saxony | 17.4% |
| 7 | Thuringia | 17.4% |
| 8 | Hesse | 17.3% |
| 9 | Schleswig-Holstein | 16.8% |
| 10 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 16.8% |
| 11 | Saxony | 16.7% |
| 12 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 15.9% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 13 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Hesse | 5.4% |
| 11 | Brandenburg | 5.4% |
| 12 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 5.2% |
| 13 | Schleswig-Holstein | 4.7% |
| 14 | Saxony | 3.8% |
| 15 | Saxony-Anhalt | 3.8% |
| 16 | Bavaria | 3.1% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 12.9% |
| 5 | Lower Saxony | 12.5% |
| 6 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 12.1% |
| 7 | Schleswig-Holstein | 11.0% |
| 8 | Thuringia | 11.0% |
| 9 | Hamburg | 10.6% |
| 10 | Saarland | 10.3% |
Disposable household income per person (euros) (2023)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 5 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Disposable household income per person (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Baden-Württemberg | €29,900 |
| 3 | Hamburg | €29,900 |
| 4 | Hesse | €28,900 |
| 5 | Schleswig-Holstein | €28,800 |
| 6 | Rhineland-Palatinate | €27,600 |
| 7 | North Rhine-Westphalia | €27,300 |
| 8 | Lower Saxony | €27,300 |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Schleswig-Holstein ranks 6 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 95.1% |
| 4 | Lower Saxony | 94.6% |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 94.0% |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 93.9% |
| 7 | Hesse | 93.7% |
| 8 | Saxony | 93.4% |
| 9 | Bavaria | 93.2% |
More on Schleswig-Holstein: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Disposable household income per person (PPS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd6019768e9f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Income of households by NUTS 2 region (euros per inhabitant), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7441dafca51…)
- 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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