Per capita debt increased in Germany in 2022. The most debts per capita were accumulated in these federal states.
Every year the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) publishes debt statistics listing the debts of the individual federal states and municipalities. The current debt statistics are revealing: In the Federal Republic of Germany, debts rose to 28,164 euros per inhabitant. This corresponds to a total increase of 47.1 billion euros. These federal states are debt kings. The status is July 28, 2023.
Editorial team finanzen.net
17th place: The ranking
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) is responsible for official data on society, the economy, the environment and the state. On July 28, 2023, Destatis published a press release on the annual debt statistics, in which Germany’s overall public budget from 2022 is presented. Overall, debts per resident of the Federal Republic rose to 28,164 euros. The following ranking lists the per capita debt of the individual federal states. The status is July 28, 2023.
Source: Destatis, Image: Smit / Shutterstock.com
16th place: Saxony
The ranking opens with the federal state of Saxony. The federal state with the baroque state capital Dresden has the smallest amount of debt per inhabitant at a total of 2,000 euros and has recorded an absolute decrease in debt per inhabitant of 100 euros compared to the previous year. This puts the state in last place in the ranking.
Source: Destatis, Image: sachsen.de
15th place: Bavaria
Germany’s most famous holiday region, Bavaria, comes in 15th with a per capita debt of 2,600 euros. Not only the Oktoberfest, but also the living traditions and the mountain landscapes attract people from all over the world to Bavaria. Bavaria is the only federal state to show no change compared to the previous year. In 2021, the per capita debt was also 2,600 euros.
Source: Destatis, Image: Lupo / pixelio.de
14th place: Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is known for many things: whether the cuckoo clock, the Black Forest cake, or car brands such as Mercedes and Porsche. In the ranking of the most indebted federal states, Baden-Württemberg comes in 14th with a per capita debt of 4,800 euros. Overall, this means a decrease of 400 euros compared to the previous year.
Source: Destatis, Image: Georg Schierling / pixelio.de
13th place: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which is popular among holidaymakers, made it to 13th place in the ranking, just like last year. The Baltic Sea, various islands and over 1,000 inland lakes in particular attract people to the state to spend a holiday in nature. The holidaymaker-friendly state’s debts fell by 200 euros from 2021 to 2022. This means that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has a per capita debt of 6,100 euros.
Source: Destatis, Image: Lupo / pixelio.de
12th place: Brandenburg
Brandenburg can impress with a lot of nature. The state’s sights also include more than 500 castles and mansions. Overall, Brandenburg has a per capita debt of 7,800 euros. With a decrease of 300 euros from 8,100 euros in 2021, the state in the northeast ends up in twelfth place in the ranking.
Source: Destatis, Image: Lupo / pixelio.de
11th place: Thuringia
The geographical center of the Federal Republic of Germany comes in eleventh place: Thuringia. Some of the greatest thinkers in German history, such as Luther and Goethe, worked from Thuringia. The state accumulated a debt of 8,300 euros per capita, which corresponds to a decrease of 400 euros from the debt of 8,700 euros per capita in the previous year.
Source: Destatis, Image: thueringen.de
10th place: Hesse
Hesse occupies tenth place in the ranking with a per capita debt of 8,700 euros. The most famous city in Hesse is Frankfurt, which is not only home to the European Central Bank, but is also the only city in Germany to have a skyline. The federal state has thus achieved a debt reduction of 600 euros per capita.
Source: Destatis, Image: hessen.de
9th place: Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony also has some popular holiday destinations to offer with places such as the Baltic Sea or the Lüneburg Heath. In the ranking of the most indebted federal states, the popular travel destination comes in ninth place with a per capita debt of 9,600 euros. So 200 euros less than last year.
Source: Destatis, Image: Dieter Schütz / pixelio.de
8th place: Rhineland-Palatinate
The federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate takes eighth place in the ranking, with a per capita debt of 9,800 euros. The wine-growing region, which is also known as the “Tuscany of Germany”, ends up in the middle field. Compared to last year, the state was able to record a debt reduction of 200 euros per capita.
Source: Destatis, Image: rlp.de
7th place: Saxony-Anhalt
The state of Saxony-Anhalt has the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Germany, which attracts tourists from all over the world to Saxony-Anhalt. With a per capita debt of 11,800 euros, Saxony recorded a debt increase of 500 euros from 11,300 euros in the previous year.
Source: Destatis, Image: sachsen-anhalt.de
6th place: North Rhine-Westphalia
The federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia offers many different qualities. While the Ruhr area is characterized by industrial culture, rural life can also be found in Westphalia. With a debt of 12,800 euros per resident, a decrease of 100 euros compared to the previous year, the federal state takes 6th place in the ranking.
Source: Destatis, Image: Dieter Schütz / pixelio.de
5th place: Schleswig-Holstein
The federal state of Schleswig-Holstein can offer two seas in the north of Germany. Two of the most popular holiday destinations in Germany, the North and Baltic Seas, are located in the state. Schleswig-Holstein’s debt fell by 100 euros compared to the previous year to 12,900 euros in debt per resident.
Source: Destatis, Image: Martin Berk / pixelio.de
4th place: Saarland
Saarland also has a lot to offer. Including the world’s first industrial World Heritage site. With previously 17,700 euros in debt in 2021 and a decline from 1,200 euros to 16,500 euros in debt per resident, Saarland ends up in fourth place in the ranking.
Source: Destatis, Image: saarland.de
3rd place: Berlin
In third place is the federal capital, which is also a city-state: Berlin. The city with the seat of government, culture and party metropolis is constantly changing and is therefore the most popular travel destination in Germany. The amount of debt per resident in the state of Berlin has fallen by 300 euros to 16,600 euros.
Source: Destatis, Image: Rosel Eckstein / pixelio.de
2nd place: Hamburg
The Hanseatic city of Hamburg is not only a northern German metropolis and a city-state, but also Germany’s largest port city. With a debt of 19,100 euros per resident in 2021, the port metropolis managed to reduce debt from 1,400 euros to 17,700 euros in 2022. This means that second place in the ranking goes to the north.
Source: Destatis, Image: Hamburg
1st place: Bremen
The northern German Hanseatic city took first place. The two-city state of Bremen is the smallest federal state in Germany. In addition to the historic seafaring city of Bremen, the state also includes Bremerhaven. With a debt of 33,300 euros per capita, first place made it possible to reduce debt by 20,500 euros compared to the previous year. At that time, the per capita debt was still 53,800 euros.
Source: Destatis, Image: Ganzfreund / pixelio.de