The Stuttgart region in numbers

The Stuttgart region extends over 3.654 km² and therefore accounts for around 10% of the area of ​​Baden-Württemberg. It covers the five districts Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen and Ludwigsburgthe Rems-Murr district as well as the city district Stuttgart. Around 179 million people live in a total of 2,8 cities and communities in the Stuttgart region. This corresponds to around 25% of the state population of Baden-Württemberg and a population density of 774 inhabitants per km².

Employment and GDP

The Stuttgart region is the strongest Business location Baden-Württemberg: on 10% of the state's area, around 27% of the gross domestic product is generated by 25% of the state's residents.
Source: Structural Report 2021, Stuttgart Region Association

The gross value added per inhabitant is 50.361 euros, which is 28,6 percentage points above the national average. If one relates the gross value added to the number of employed people, this results in a measure of the employed productivity. In the Stuttgart region, each employed person was able to achieve an average gross value added of 2021 euros in 85.857. This puts the Stuttgart region 18,5% above the national average and in second place in Germany.
Source: Structural Report 2023, Stuttgart Region Association

At around 4,40% at the beginning of 2024, the region has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe.
Source: IHK; Federal Employment Agency (October 2023)

Graphic: Stuttgart region in relation to Baden-Württemberg: area 10%, inhabitants 25%, economic power 28,6%

Leader in innovation

According to the Innovation Index 2022, the Stuttgart region is the region with the highest ability to innovate of the state of Baden-Württemberg. With Böblingen, Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg, three districts in the region belong to the top group of the innovation comparison in first, fourth and fifth place.
Source: Structural Report 2023, Stuttgart Region Association

The companies in the Stuttgart region are investing in the future:
Around 7,4% of GDP flows into the Research and DevelopmentThis puts the business location around 4 percentage points above the national average (3,1%) and in first place in Germany.
Source: State Statistical Office of Baden-Württemberg, Federal Statistical Office

In 2022, almost around 18% of employees worked in high and high technologies. That is twice as much as the national average and leading in Germany. Measured against total employment, the proportion of employees in future industries* was 2021% in 42,8. Local companies have also long been among the undisputed leaders in patent applications.
Source: Structural report 2023, Stuttgart Region Association
Prognos AG 2022, *Definition of future industries according to Prognos: plastics industry, vehicle construction, mechanical engineering, logistics, high-quality corporate and research services, ICT technologies, healthcare industry

We also appreciate this environment Founders: The majority feel very well looked after in the Stuttgart region and assess the regional conditions clearly positively according to the start-up climate index.
Source: Start-up climate index 2020, IHK Region Stuttgart

Graphic with scientists

Close to science

There are two dozen in the region Universities, colleges and academies, five Fraunhofer Institutes, two Max Planck Institutes, six research institutes of the German Aerospace Center, numerous renowned research and development centers the private sector and more than a dozen regional competence and innovation centers, which help to develop successful practical products from outstanding research.

Strong automotive industry

That’s with 220.500 employees Automotive cluster This is by far the most employing economic sector in the Stuttgart region, with 17% of the workforce in the Stuttgart region. Local focal points are in the Stuttgart urban district with 60.900 employees and in the Böblingen district with a good 33.500 employees in the automotive cluster.

Around 17% of the automotive industry's sales
in Germany are generated in the region. The strength of the regional automotive cluster is also reflected in the high export share of 83,2% of total sales.
Source: Structural Report 2023, Stuttgart Region Association

Graphics: Car production
Graphic with boxes on pallets

Machines for the whole globe

In 2022, the Stuttgart region's mechanical and plant engineering sector generated sales of around 23,2 billion euros. The region's share is thus 9% of Germany's industry turnover. As in vehicle construction, the export quota in mechanical and plant engineering is particularly high at 62%.

The Esslingen district is a nationwide stronghold in mechanical engineering with a good 24.256 employees. Other districts with more than 15.000 employees in the industry are the Rems-Murr district and Ludwigsburg.
Source: Structural Report 2023, Stuttgart Region Association

The worlds best

Sometimes world-famous, sometimes hidden champion – the Stuttgart region is home to countless technology and world market leaders:

Mercedes Benz GroupStuttgartAutomobiles in the premium sector
Robert Bosch GMBHStuttgart/GerlingenAutomotive suppliers, industrial technology
Mahle GmbHStuttgartPiston systems, engine and cylinder components
Trumpf GmbH & Co. KGDitzingElectronic machine tools
Festo SE & Co. KGEsslingenAutomation services
Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KGEsslingenExhaust technology, vehicle air conditioning systems
Geze GmbHLeonbergDoor, window and security technology
Schill + Seilacher GmbHBöblingenSpecial chemical additives
Kärcher SE & Co. KGWinnendenPressure Washer
Harro Höfliger GmbHAllmersbach in the valleyPackaging and automation solutions
TeamViewer AGGöppingenInformation technologies
WMF GmbHGeislingen on the trailFully automatic coffee machines in the B2B sector
Stihl Holding AG & Co. KGWaiblingen/BWsaws
and much more.

Structural report for the Stuttgart region

The Stuttgart Region Structural Report is published every two years and analyzes developments
of economy and employment in the Stuttgart region differentiated by sector.

To the structural report 2023