Demographics: Share of young people in Germany at historic low

Germany is experiencing a historic decline in its youth population, with individuals aged 15 to 24 now constituting only 10.0 percent of the total population. This demographic shift, reaching a low point at the start of the 2020s, means that the 8.3 million young people in the country represent a smaller fraction than ever before.

The trend is especially stark in eastern Germany. States like Brandenburg recorded the lowest proportion of young people at just 8.8 percent in 2025. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt followed with 9.1 percent each, and Thuringia with 9.2 percent. In contrast, the city-states of Bremen (11.1 percent) and Hamburg (10.5 percent), along with the state of Baden-Württemberg (10.4 percent), recorded the highest shares.

Historically, the proportion of young people was significantly higher. In the mid-1980s, specifically in 1983, individuals aged 15 to 24 accounted for 16.7 percent of the population in the territory of the then-Federal Republic of Germany. This era coincided with the youthful years of the baby boomer generation.

Germany's current youth demographic of 10.0 percent falls below the European Union average of 10.7 percent. Ireland reported the highest share of young people at the beginning of 2025 with 12.7 percent, while Malta had the lowest at 9.4 percent.

Immigration plays a crucial role in mitigating an even steeper decline. Without immigration, the proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds in Germany in 2025 would have been a mere 8.5 percent. In contrast, among the population with an immigration background, the share of young people was 12.2 percent. The Statistical Office defines individuals with an immigration background as those who immigrated to Germany since 1950 or whose both parents did.

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Already since the beginning of the 2020s, the proportion of young people in the total population has been at this low level.