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Bochum

Bochum had 353,636 residents at the 2022 census. Average net rent of €6.25/m² was 9% below the state average. 28.4% of homes were owner-occupied, and the average age was 44.2.

Independent city · Code 05911 · Zensus 2022 · Updated 24 October 2026
353,636residentscensus, 15 May 2022
€6.25/m²net rentaverage
28.4%owner-occupiedof homes
28%green within 500 maverage
Bochum · one-kilometre grid
Map of Bochum: Share of land within 500 m that is green space
0%30%+
Share of land within 500 m that is green space

Sources: Federal and State Statistical Offices of Germany, 2022 census grid results (open data, with attribution) · © GeoBasis-DE / BKG (2023), administrative areas VG250 as of 15 May 2022, dl-de/by-2-0 · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

People.

Age and households at the 2022 census, next to the figure for North Rhine-Westphalia.

15%
aged under 18
15%
aged 18–29
25%
aged 30–49
22%
aged 65 and over
44.2
years, average age
1.9
people per household

Source: Federal and State Statistical Offices of Germany, 2022 census grid results (open data, with attribution)

Homes.

58,510 residential buildings.

€6.25/m²
average net rent
28.4%
of homes owner-occupied
3.6%
of homes empty
50.9 m²
living space per resident

When residential buildings were built

before 191912%
1919–194914%
1950–195920%
1960–196914%
1970–197911%
1980–19898%
1990–19996%
2000–20095%
2010–20151%
2016 or later2%

Main type of heating

Central heating61%
District heating16%
Single-storey heating19%
Block heating1%
Room stoves4%

Net rent comes from the 2022 census (reference date 15 May 2022) and covers every rented home, including long-standing tenancies, so it is usually lower than the asking rents in new listings.

Figures for municipalities, districts and states are built up from the census 100-metre grid cells, with rents weighted by the number of homes. Vacancy and owner-occupation rates come from the one-kilometre grid, as they are mostly withheld in the 100-metre cells.

Source: Federal and State Statistical Offices of Germany, 2022 census grid results (open data, with attribution)

Everyday life.

155 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk, for the average resident; 28% green space within 500 metres.

Supermarkets and convenience shops27
Bakeries21
Pharmacies13
Doctors78
Dentists28
Cafés and bars89
Restaurants87
Parks11
Playgrounds20
Sports pitches14
Gyms and sports centres10
Libraries6
Day nurseries15
Bus stops52
Tram and light-rail stops17
Railway stations6
121schoolsOpenStreetMap
200nurseries and kindergartensOpenStreetMap
2,442residents per km²density
144.8km²area

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Within one kilometre.

Crime.

Offences recorded by the police in 2025 (Bochum), next to the state average.

8,104offences per 100,000 residentsstate: 7,296
29,067recorded offences2025
52%clearance ratestate: 53%
OffenceCasesper 100,000state, per 100,000
Violent crime1,122313298
Common assault2,213617580
Robbery2888061
Domestic burglary860240153
All theft10,4192,9052,756
Bicycle theft558156295
Car theft1474138
Theft from vehicles1,380385434
Shoplifting1,973550506
Pickpocketing748209194
Fraud3,422954946
Criminal damage3,169884674
Street crime6,0591,6891,701

Police crime statistics count offences that became known to the police and were fully processed by them, by place of offence. The rate relates them to the resident population, so cities with many commuters, visitors and shops show higher rates. Offences against residence and asylum law and drug offences are not shown here; drug offences mostly reflect how actively the police carry out checks.

Source: PKS Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Criminal Police Office), reporting year 2025, version 1.1 (Data licence Germany – attribution 2.0)

Around here.

Photographs taken near Bochum, shared on Wikimedia Commons under free licences.

Stolpersteinlage in Bochum 0021
i
Stolpersteinlage in Bochum 0021
Photo: Gmbo 2013 · CC BY-SA 3.0
View on Wikimedia Commons
CristinaBrancoBochum2014 01
i
CristinaBrancoBochum2014 01
Photo: 69joehawkins · CC BY-SA 3.0
View on Wikimedia Commons
Stadtbahn Bochum U35 6006 Rathaus-Nord180605
i
Stadtbahn Bochum U35 6006 Rathaus-Nord180605
Photo: Clic · CC BY-SA 4.0
View on Wikimedia Commons

Other districts in North Rhine-Westphalia.