Terrible Towns: Germany's Least Desirable Cities
Germany's Most Troublesome Cities: An In-depth Examination of Their Struggles - Unpleasant Urban Areas in Germany: Unbearable to Reside In
by Niels Kruse
Feeling like some German cities might be a catastrophe? Maybe teeming with run-down flats, soulless city centers, an endless sea of gray, with parks nowhere in sight, and danger lurking everywhere? Perhaps even more dangerous than the Bronx in 80s New York?
The Second-Worst City in Germany (Almost)
It's got to be true, right? There's certainly a city that ticks all those awful boxes. Fortunately, no single city qualifies for the crown. But it's a touchy subject to label a city the worst. Is it a shabby post-war rebuild? Too much highway or too little greenery? Absence of castles, rivers, or parks, or just way too much concrete in the wrong places?
Many Rankings, No Consensus
Realistically, no overarching investigation or systematic ranking of Germany's "worst" cities has been conducted. However, we do have data on individual urban challenges like poverty, emigration rate, and economic vitality. And we've also got different measures of city ugliness, rudeness, and overall quality of life. Here are Germany's least desirable cities (based on ten diverse criteria)
The Dirtiest Places
Air pollution is one painpoint for Germany's dubious cities. The World Health Organization recommends a yearly limit of 5 µg/m³ for PM2.5 pollution, but several cities and districts exceed it significantly. The worst-hit areas in 2023-25 include:
- Meiderich, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW): 12.6 µg/m³
- Meerbusch, NRW: 12.3 µg/m³
- Berlin: 11.4 µg/m³ (city-wide, some districts may be worse)
- Gartenstadt, NRW: 11.2 µg/m³
- Datteln, NRW: 11.1 µg/m³
- Passau, Bavaria: 10.6 µg/m³
- Solingen, NRW: 10.6 µg/m³
- Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg: 10.4 µg/m³
- Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg: 10.3 µg/m³
- Weiden, Bavaria: 10.3 µg/m³
Safety and Livability
While some German cities struggle with safety, most fare well globally.
- Munich, for example, is notably one of the safest German cities, ranking 10th globally in 2025.
- Berlin and Hamburg are decent options, ranking 166 and 154, respectively, on the global safety index, generally considered safer than many international cities but trail behind Munich.
- Hanover is just below Berlin and Hamburg, ranking 167.
Community perception, as reflected in crowd-sourced tier lists, can vary, focusing primarily on subjective factors like quality of life, public transport, and amenities, which may not directly correlate with pollution or safety data.
Key Insights
Air pollution is a prominent issue: North Rhine-Westphalia districts (such as Meiderich, Meerbusch, Gartenstadt, and Datteln) are particularly affected by high PM2.5 levels, followed by some Berlin neighborhoods and other cities mentioned above.
Safety concerns are less prevalent: Geman cities like Berlin and Hamburg rank relatively safe on global safety rankings, with Munich being even safer.
Community perception is subjective: Personal preferences and preferences for large cities influence crowd-sourced rankings, but these are not strongly correlated with pollution or safety data.
Summary Table
| City/District | PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Safety Ranking (Global) | Notes ||-----------------------|---------------|-------------------------|----------------------|| Meiderich, NRW | 12.6 | — | Highest pollution || Meerbusch, NRW | 12.3 | — | High pollution || Berlin | 11.4 | 166 | High pollution, fair safety || Gartenstadt, NRW | 11.2 | — | High pollution || Datteln, NRW | 11.1 | — | High pollution || Munich | — | 10 | Very safe || Hamburg | — | 154 | Fair safety || Stuttgart | 10.4 | — | Moderate pollution |
In terms of lifestyle and outdoor living, many of Germany's least desirable cities, such as Meiderich, Meerbusch, Berlin, Gartenstadt, Datteln, Passau, Solingen, Stuttgart, Frankfurt (Oder), and Weiden, may not offer the best living conditions due to high levels of air pollution, particularly PM2.5.
Regarding home and garden, it's essential to note that while these cities may have problematic air quality, others like Munich excel in terms of safety, ranking as one of the safest German cities globally.
