Ilm-Kreis: population, economy and official figures
Ilm-Kreis is a district (Kreis) in Thuringia, Germany. Ilm-Kreis had 106,657 residents on 1 January 2025, 5.1% of Thuringia and 0.13% of Germany; 295th largest of 400 districts in Germany.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Ilm-Kreis: GDP per person was 32,900 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 86% of the EU average (117% for Germany); 277th highest of 400 districts in Germany.
- Health in Ilm-Kreis: The number of doctors per 10,000 residents in Ilm-Kreis was 12.2 in 2024, 129th lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at 13.1. In 2019 the figure was 11.7.
- Education in Ilm-Kreis: The share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) in Ilm-Kreis was 10.7% in 2023, 52nd highest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at 7.0%. It was 10.4% in 2019.
- Poverty and living standards in Ilm-Kreis: In 2023, Ilm-Kreis recorded a share of residents under 65 living on basic income support (Bürgergeld, formerly Hartz IV) of 7.8%, compared with 6.5% in the median German district, which ranks it 154th highest of 400 districts. That is up from 7.5% in 2019.
- Government budget and revenue in Ilm-Kreis: The tax revenue of its municipalities per resident in Ilm-Kreis was €1,128 in 2023, 73rd lowest of 400 districts in Germany; the median district stood at €1,446. It was €888 in 2019.
Is the population of Ilm-Kreis growing?
That is 2.1% fewer people than in 2015 (108,899).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Ilm-Kreis?
There were 133.9 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Ilm-Kreis?
The median age was 49.8 years in 2025, against 45.5 for Germany; 82nd highest of 400 districts in Germany.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Ilm-Kreis?
27.6% of residents were 65 or older and 12.3% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Ilm-Kreis?
In 2024 there were 541 live births and 1,548 deaths, a natural decrease of 1,007.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Ilm-Kreis?
It covers 805 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Ilm-Kreis?
Net migration added 6.2 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -9.4 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 Thuringia
- Erfurt, Kreisfreie Stadt 218,793
- Wartburgkreis 154,957
- Gotha 135,838
- Schmalkalden-Meiningen 120,214
- Jena, Kreisfreie Stadt 109,725
- Eichsfeld 103,694
- Saalfeld-Rudolstadt 100,105
- Gera, Kreisfreie Stadt 95,608
- Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis 94,613
- Greiz 93,707
- Altenburger Land 87,508
- Saale-Holzland-Kreis 83,342
- Weimarer Land 82,392
- Nordhausen 80,762
- Saale-Orla-Kreis 77,341
- Kyffhäuserkreis 71,738
- Sömmerda 67,693
- Weimar, Kreisfreie Stadt 65,954
- Hildburghausen 59,987
- Sonneberg 54,964
- Suhl, Kreisfreie Stadt 34,685
Up a level: Thuringia · 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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