Almost every third person in Hesse has an immigration background!

Almost every third person in Hesse has an immigration background!

There is an impressive diversity in Hesse - almost every third person has an immigration background. According to current data from the 2024 microcensus, there are a total of around 2.04 million people who live in this federal state. 1.5 million of them have immigrated to Germany since 1950, while around 540,000 people are direct descendants of these immigrants. This corresponds to a proportion of around 33 percent of the total population in Hesse and thus shows how influential the history of immigration is for regional identity. Compared to the previous year, the proportion has increased by 1.3 percentage points, which underlines the constant increase in diversity in Hesse. [FR].

But what is the situation in other cities in Hesse? In Wiesbaden, Offenbach and Darmstadt, the proportion of people with a migrant background is around 44 percent. In contrast, there is Fulda and the districts of Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Schwalm-Eder and Werra-Meißner, where the proportion is only around 24 percent. This shows that the history of immigration varies and plays a defining role, especially in urban centers.

Immigration motives and age structure

The 2024 microcensus also provides interesting insights into the motivations for immigration. In Hesse, the main reasons for this are flight, asylum and international protection (28.1 percent), followed by family reunification (25.1 percent) and employment (24.4 percent). The demographic data also shows that the population with a history of immigration is, on average, younger than the entire Hessian population. The average age of this group is 38 years, while the average age in Hesse is 43 years.

For a more comprehensive picture, the definition of people with a history of immigration must also be considered. According to that Federal Statistical Office This term includes all people who have immigrated since 1950 or whose both parents have also immigrated. This makes up a significant part of the population, which shapes the regional identity in Hesse.

Pan-German perspective

As the 2023 figures show, there were a total of 24.9 million people with a migrant background in Germany, which makes up around 29.7 percent of the total population. Interestingly, 42.9 percent of them are foreigners with their own migration experience, while around 50.2 percent do not have German citizenship. A particularly notable point is that almost a third of people with a migrant background come from EU countries. These facts clearly show how diverse and colorful life in Germany now is. BAMF offers a comprehensive analysis here.

Society in Hesse and beyond is enriched by the different stories and backgrounds. It will be exciting to see how this demographic change will continue in the coming years and what new impulses it will bring to society.