Regional Policy - Inforegio
Urban Audit: City Profiles
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Essen

The city of Essen is located in the urban centre of the Ruhr district, in the federal state of North-Rhine Westphalia. It is the sixth largest city of Germany and has a population of 592,000. Essen is the centre of the German and European energy industry. The city’s industries also cover the sectors of telecommunications, microchip technology, engineering services and environmental protection. Trade and commerce in Essen make a considerable contribution to the gross added value generated by the city. The largest media company in Essen is also the second largest group of publishing companies in Germany. The design and health sectors are promoted as the future areas of growth of the city. Essen is part of a Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) of over 5.3 million inhabitants as defined for the Urban Audit, which corresponds to the Ruhr area.

CITY AND LUZ LEVEL

CITYQUINTILES
Comparison with UA cities
LUZ
LowHigh
INDICATORSYEARSCORE5th4th3rd2nd1stCASES YEARSCORERatio City:LUZ
DEMOGRAPHY  
    
Total resident population2004588,084
34220045,302,1791:9.02
Total annual population change over 5 yrs.2004-1%
247   
Percentage of households that are 1-person households200441%
152200437%1:0.90
Percentage of households that are lone-parent households20047%
11820047%1:1
Average size of households20041.97
17320042.081:1.06
SOCIAL ASPECTS  
    
Average price per m2 for an apartment2004€1,800
150   
Average price per m2 for a house2004€2,830
157   
Percentage of households living in owned dwellings200121%
305200126%1:1.28
Percentage of households living in social housing200413%
92   
Average living area in m2 per person200138
2292001381:1.01
Number of recorded crimes per 1,000 population200497.54
223   
ECONOMIC ASPECTS  
    
Unemployment rate200412%
159200412%1:1.02
Unemployment rate - female20049%
147200410%1:1.18
Employment rate200459%
157   
Activity rate200467%
182200467%1:0.99
GDP per head (€)2004€33,295
1482004€23,7691:0.71
Median disposable annual household income(€)2004€20,200
1182004€19,4001:0.96
Percentage of households receiving less than half of the national average household income200411%
71200412%1:1.03
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT  
    
Percentage of registered electorate voting in city elections200450%
193   
TRAINING AND EDUCATION  
    
No. of children aged 0-4 in day care per 1,000 children 0-42001455
23420014321:0.95
% of working age population with only primary education20040%
15520040%1:1
% of working age population with tertiary education20040%
13620040%1:0.87
ENVIRONMENT  
    
Summer Smog: No. of days ozone (O3) exceeds 120µg/m3200416
212   
Number of days PM10 concentrations exceed 50 µg/m320049
235   
Amount of solid waste collected (domestic and commercial) - tonnes per capita per annum20040.52
237   
Percentage of solid waste processed by landfill20040%
213   
Green space to which the public has access (m2 per capita)200434
185   
Population density (residents per km2)20042,800
26520041,1961:0.43
TRANSPORT AND TRAVEL  
    
Percentage of journeys to work by car200468%
108200471%1:1.04
Average time of journey to work (mins.)200424
1072004241:1

SUB CITY LEVEL

22 SUB-CITY DISTRICTSAverage Population: 26904Comparison of Sub-City Districts
INDICATORSYEARLOWESTCITY SCOREHIGHESTRATIO Lowest:Highest
DEMOGRAPHY     
Percentage of total population aged 0-420014%4%6%1:1.59
Percentage of households that are 1-person households200131%41%54%1:1.77
Percentage of households that are lone-parent households20014%7%8%1:2.05
Percentage of households that are lone-pensioner households200113%15%17%1:1.28
Average size of households20011.621.952.261:1.40
SOCIAL ASPECTS     
Proportion of dwellings lacking basic amenities     
ECONOMIC ASPECTS     
Unemployment rate20015%8%11%1:2.41
Percentage of unemployed who are under age 2520015%9%12%1:2.33
TRAINING AND EDUCATION     
% of working age population with only primary education     
% of working age population with secondary education     
% of working age population with tertiary education     
ENVIRONMENT     
Population density (residents per km2)20019252,8148,9291:9.65