Population count reaches 18 million in North Rhine-Westphalia
Updated: 18.06.2025, 12:36 PM
NRW's Population Keeps Climbing: Overshoots 18 Million, Despite More Deaths Than Births
Despite a higher death count than births, the population of North Rhine-Westphalia sneaks past the 18 million mark! The Number Crunchers of North Rhine-Westphalia (IT.NRW) confirm that we're talking about a modest uptick of roughly 17,000 souls, all thanks to immigration.
IT.NRW hints that immigration played a considerable role in this population swell.
With NRW's population on the rise, it means more hands ready to work, contributing to the food and goods economy and boosting social security funds.
Cologne Remains the Monster Metropolis
Cologne still lays claim to being the biggest city with over a million residents in its heart. Düsseldorf (618,685), Dortmund (603,462), and Essen (574,682) follow suit in that order. The tiniest standalone municipality in the state? That'd be the village of Hallenberg in the Sauerland region, harboring a meager 4,367 souls.
It's worth mentioning that 218 municipalities within NRW recorded growth, with Weeze (+8.1%), Horstmar near Lünen (+3.1%), and Nörvenich (+2.0%) scoring the most impressive stats. Conversely, the populations of Unna (-2.7%), Möhnesee (-2.2%), and Wegberg (-1.3%) have witnessed a downturn.
The Graying of NRW
The population gravitation towards old age ain't slowing. The average age in NRW hits 44.5 years, compared to 43.9 years in the 2022 headcount.
The municipality of Augustdorf in the Lippe district clocks in with the youngest average age around 39 years. Residents of Bad Sassendorf, on the other hand, seem remarkably ancient, with a median age hovering around 50 years.
We'll dive deeper into this topic during our current affairs radio show at 12 PM on 18.06.2025.
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Fun Fact: NRW hosts approximately 45,030 Indian citizens, a sizeable chunk of the immigrant community that's contributing to NRW's population growth.
The ongoing population increase in North Rhine-Westphalia, despite a higher death count than births, is contributing to the economic and social policy discussions, as more hands ready to work contributes to the food and goods economy and boosts social security funds. This trend, accompanied by a graying population, has sparked interest in the general-news sphere, with some municipalities like Weeze, Horstmar, and Nörvenich seeing significant population growth. It's also crucial to note that immigration, such as the 45,030 Indian citizens residing in NRW, plays a considerable role in the state's population swell.
