Town and country
Where Germans live: facts, figures and interviews on urbanization and rural exodus, urban development and smart cities.
Quick facts
77
percent
of Germans live in cities or urban areas.
15
percent
of Germans live in villages with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.
79
large cities
are to be found in Germany. These are cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants.
4
very large cities
with over a million inhabitants are to be found in Germany: Berlin (3.5 m), Hamburg (1.7 m), Munich (1.4 m) and Cologne (1.05 m)
9
people
live in Germany’s smallest independent municipality, Hallig Gröde.
44
percent
of Germans would prefer to live in the countryside.
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Urban versus rural living
Big cities are thriving and villages are dying out? The situation is not quite that simple. Here are some facts and trends about urban and rural living in Germany.
Wo junge Deutsche am liebsten leben
Wer jung ist, will in die Stadt – oder? Wir haben junge Deutsche gefragt und überraschende Antworten bekommen.
What will the city of tomorrow be like?
An expert in urban development explains how growing cities will remain liveable and how lifestyles and mobility will have to change.
Where do we want to live?
According to a recent study, small and medium-sized towns are in vogue.
Direct link to citizens
Daniel Zimmermann became one of Germany’s youngest mayors at the age of 27. He tells us of his work running a city.
Deutschland braucht mehr Wohnungen
Wohnraum wird knapp und teuer. In welchen Städten die Mieten am höchsten sind und wie der Staat den Wohnungsbau fördert.
Lots of new neighbours
Altena has taken far more refugees than it was assigned, and has integrated them in exemplary fashion – even winning an award from the German chancellor in the process.
Germany’s smartest cities
Where parking spaces announce they are free and city maps show what’s going on. Welcome to the urban laboratory.
The city of the future
A short interview with Professor Dr Armin Grunwald, physicist and philosopher.
The reinvention of cities
People worldwide are being drawn to cities. Germany is preparing for this far-reaching change with smart solutions.
Renaissance of historic city centres
Pull down or rebuild? German cities long preferred the wrecking ball. But things have changed.
Housing in Germany
What is German Gemütlichkeit? Find out what a typical living room looks like and which piece of furniture is a must.
Discovering German living rooms
How do people in Germany live? And is there a typical German living room? Take a look here!
Where German people live
A glance at the map of Europe’s most populous country shows that Germany’s 82 million inhabitants live in a multitude of different towns and communities.