Germany’s workforce is on the move: the number of people commuting to jobs outside their home municipality continues to grow.
According to new data from the Federal Institute for Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Research (BBSR) in Bonn, 20.59 million employees worked in a different town or city than where they lived as of June 30 last year — an increase of 110,000 compared with the previous year.
Nearly seven million workers travel daily into one of Germany’s 80 major cities. This urban pull continues to strengthen, driven by economic opportunity and housing costs that push many employees to live farther from their workplaces.
Munich remains Germany’s commuter capital
Munich once again tops the list: around 458,400 people employed in Bavaria’s state capital live outside city limits.
Frankfurt am Main ranks second with 415,600 incoming commuters — a remarkably high figure considering that Frankfurt’s population is only about half the size of Munich’s.
They are followed by Berlin (398,900), Hamburg (396,300), and Cologne (317,000). Together, these cities represent the main hubs of Germany’s daily commuting traffic.
Long distances and growing pressure on infrastructure
The average commute distance across Germany stands at 17.2 kilometers, according to BBSR data. But the average masks striking extremes:
- Over 4 million commuters travel more than 50 kilometers to work each day.
- About 2.3 million cover more than 100 kilometers on their daily journeys.
BBSR mobility expert Thomas Pütz noted that roughly 42 percent of all employees now work in large urban centers, highlighting the magnetic effect of major metropolitan economies.
“These cities act as powerful job magnets,” he explained, adding that the growing commuter flows also bring challenges for traffic, the environment, and quality of life.
Remote work remains limited
Despite the rise of home office arrangements, the Ifo Institute estimates that only about one in four employees regularly work from home.
The majority continue to commute to offices, factories, or service locations on a daily basis — a pattern that underscores how physical proximity to urban labor markets remains crucial in Germany’s economy.
Post-pandemic trends shape housing and mobility
Real estate analysts say the pandemic accelerated a long-term shift toward suburban living. Many workers now choose to reside outside city centers, driven by soaring rents, high property prices, and the option of hybrid work.
However, the consequence is clear: longer daily travel distances and greater strain on public transport and road networks, especially in metropolitan regions like Munich and Frankfurt.
The latest data confirm that Germany’s urban hubs remain both economic engines and mobility hotspots — and that Munich still stands as the nation’s undisputed commuter capital.
