DE · EN

Hochsauerlandkreis

The Hochsauerlandkreis had 259,823 residents at the 2022 census, in 12 municipalities. Average net rent of €5.20/m² was 24% below the state average. 54.0% of homes were owner-occupied, and the average age was 45.1.

District · Code 05958 · Zensus 2022 · Updated 24 October 2026
259,823residentscensus, 15 May 2022
€5.20/m²net rentaverage
54.0%owner-occupiedof homes
22%green within 500 maverage
Hochsauerlandkreis by municipality
Map of Hochsauerlandkreis: 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)

All 12 municipalities.

Colour shows where each one sits among the others in the table, from lowest to highest.

MunicipalityResidentsRentOwner-occupiedVacantAvg. ageGreen 500 mServices 15 min
Arnsberg74,789€5.32/m²45%4.2%45.138%55
Bestwig10,232€4.73/m²58%6.2%45.024%53
Brilon25,234€5.23/m²56%4.9%45.22%119
Eslohe (Sauerland)8,724€4.95/m²59%4.7%43.931%58
Hallenberg4,333€4.39/m²67%6.0%44.420%30
Marsberg19,334€4.94/m²63%4.8%46.416%53
Medebach7,997€4.63/m²61%5.8%44.23%63
Meschede29,578€5.09/m²53%5.0%44.98%133
Olsberg14,713€5.28/m²58%5.6%45.013%53
Schmallenberg24,369€5.28/m²59%4.4%44.831%82
Sundern (Sauerland)27,623€5.12/m²58%4.0%45.013%53
Winterberg12,897€5.59/m²56%6.9%46.621%91

Sources: Federal and State Statistical Offices of Germany, 2022 census grid results (open data, with attribution) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

People.

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

16%
aged under 18
12%
aged 18–29
23%
aged 30–49
23%
aged 65 and over
45.1
years, average age
2.1
people per household

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

Homes.

70,721 residential buildings.

€5.20/m²
average net rent
54.0%
of homes owner-occupied
4.8%
of homes empty
60.3 m²
living space per resident

When residential buildings were built

before 19199%
1919–19498%
1950–195910%
1960–196913%
1970–197912%
1980–19897%
1990–19999%
2000–20096%
2010–20151%
2016 or later2%

Main type of heating

Central heating79%
District heating2%
Single-storey heating12%
Block heating1%
Room stoves5%

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.

74 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk, for the average resident; 22% green space within 500 metres.

144schoolsOpenStreetMap
131nurseries and kindergartensOpenStreetMap
133residents per km²density
1,960.1km²area

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Crime.

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

4,693offences per 100,000 residentsstate: 7,296
12,241recorded offences2025
60%clearance ratestate: 53%
OffenceCasesper 100,000state, per 100,000
Violent crime503193298
Common assault981376580
Robbery722861
Domestic burglary19274153
All theft3,5301,3532,756
Bicycle theft263101295
Car theft401538
Theft from vehicles495190434
Shoplifting657252506
Pickpocketing12347194
Fraud1,238475946
Criminal damage1,377528674
Street crime2,2928791,701

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 Hochsauerlandkreis, shared on Wikimedia Commons under free licences.

Arnsberg Alter Markt IMGP6807
i
Arnsberg Alter Markt IMGP6807
Photo: Smial Original uploader was Smial at de.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 2.0 de
View on Wikimedia Commons
Arnsberg Altes Rathaus IMGP6765
i
Arnsberg Altes Rathaus IMGP6765
Photo: Smial · CC BY-SA 2.0 de
View on Wikimedia Commons
Ar.Wedingh (1)
i
Ar.Wedingh (1)
Photo: Friedhelm Dröge · CC BY-SA 4.0
View on Wikimedia Commons

Other districts in North Rhine-Westphalia.