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BBSR Statistics: Germans Are Commuting More Again - and Over Greater Distances

In Germany, commuting is on the rise again, especially the distances are increasing significantly. More than seven million people commute more than 30 kilometers one way, averaging almost 17 kilometers one way. The trend toward more distant places in the countryside is increasing. In the commuter stronghold of Munich, 444,000 workers live outside the city. Poor public transportation connections often make driving a car the only alternative.

Homo Pendeliensis: More and more people in Germany are commuting to work. In the "stronghold" Munich, 444,000 employees come from outside every day. | Photo: Audi
Homo Pendeliensis: More and more people in Germany are commuting to work. In the "stronghold" Munich, 444,000 employees come from outside every day. | Photo: Audi
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In Germany, more employees are commuting again. In 2022, 20.3 million employees subject to social security contributions worked in a different municipality than they lived – in 2021, the figure was 19.6 million. The share of commuters among all employees subject to social security contributions residing in Germany remained stable at 60 percent. This is the result of an analysis by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), based on data from the Federal Employment Agency. Both the number and the proportion of commuters with a one-way commute of more than 30 kilometers increased significantly compared to the previous year. In 2022, 7.1 million commuters traveled more than 30 kilometers on their way to work (2021: 6.6 million), and 3.9 million even traveled more than 50 kilometers (2021: 3.6 million). The average one-way commute also lengthened: from 16.9 kilometers in 2021 to 17.2 kilometers in 2022. 

The list of urban and rural districts with the longest average commuting distances is led by the districts of Ludwigslust-Parchim (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 27.4 kilometers) and Altmarkkreis Salzwedel (Saxony-Anhalt, 27.3 kilometers). They are followed by the districts of Märkisch-Oderland (Brandenburg, 27.2 kilometers), Landsberg am Lech (Bavaria, 27.0 kilometers) and Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm (Bavaria, 26.4 kilometers).

“Especially in the outer suburbs of the labor market centers of Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, and Hamburg, we observed an increase in commuting distances after years of stagnation. This indicates that even smaller and medium-sized towns located further away are becoming increasingly attractive as places of residence for employees – especially since home office and other forms of mobile work allow for greater flexibility,” analyzes BBSR expert Thomas Pütz.

The largest German cities are commuter hotspots

Among large cities, Munich and Frankfurt am Main continue to exert the greatest pull on workers from the surrounding areas. In 2022, a total of 444,000 employees who worked in Munich resided outside the city limits. This is followed by Frankfurt am Main (397,000), Berlin (382,000), and Hamburg (378,000). In the commuter hotspot of Munich, the number of inbound commuters has increased by more than 100,000 employees over the past ten years, with more and more workers covering distances of more than 50 kilometers. The statistic "Mobility in Germany" also suggests that commuters often travel by car: In 2017, 44 percent of households in Munich did not own a car, but this was only 16 percent in the surrounding suburbs of the Isar metropolis.

The further one goes into the countryside, the greater the dissatisfaction with public transport connections: A recent Allensbach study commissioned by the VDA found that 84 percent of rural residents do not believe they can do without their car, including 74 percent of city dwellers. Only three percent stated that they had a car and could easily do without it.

The BBSR statistics indicate the place of residence and place of work of employees subject to social insurance contributions as of June 30, 2022. The BBSR notes that the statistics do not show how many people actually visited the workplace during the reporting period or worked from home. Nor do the data reveal which means of transportation were used on the way to work. However, they do show how labor market centers are distributed regionally and how far they extend into the surrounding areas. The statistics do not include data for employees residing abroad and for place-of-residence-to-place-of-work relationships that involve fewer than three employees.

Translated automatically from German.
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