Kommunlotsen / Origin / Germany

Germans in Sweden: how many and where do they live?

Origin Germany: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.

About 127,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Germany (2025). Of them, about 58,000 were born in Germany and 68,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.

The most people born in Germany live in Stockholm (5,857), Göteborg (3,442) and Malmö (2,401). The largest share of residents is in Högsby (8.1%), Sorsele (4.7%) and Hultsfred (4.4%).

By origin in Germany we mean people who were born in Germany, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Germany.

How large is the group in Sweden?

Born in Germany58,461
Born in Sweden, both parents from Germany6,664
Born in Sweden, parents from Germany and another country10,914
Born in Sweden, one parent from Germany50,526

How has the number changed?

The number of people born in Germany living in Sweden has grown from about 38,000 in 2000 to about 58,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Germany, the whole group has grown from about 116,000 in 2018 to about 127,000 in 2025.

Born in Germany (2000–2025)Everyone with roots in Germany (2018–2025)
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200020052010201520202025

Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Germany

People born in Germany living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.

Municipality20152025Change
Stockholm5,0025,857+855 (+17%)
Göteborg2,8823,442+560 (+19%)
Malmö1,9202,401+481 (+25%)
Uppsala1,2791,750+471 (+37%)
Lund1,0811,529+448 (+41%)
Jönköping650780+130 (+20%)
Solna570762+192 (+34%)
Helsingborg818706−112 (−14%)
Linköping600676+76 (+13%)
Södertälje734649−85 (−12%)

Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Germany is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Germany is only available nationally and from 2018.

Municipalities with the most people born in Germany

Number is the people born in Germany living in the municipality, Share is their share of the municipality's residents, and Of all in Sweden is the municipality's share of everyone born in Germany in the country.

MunicipalityNumberShareOf all in Sweden
Stockholm 5,857 0.6% 10.0%
Göteborg 3,442 0.6% 5.9%
Malmö 2,401 0.7% 4.1%
Uppsala 1,750 0.7% 3.0%
Lund 1,529 1.2% 2.6%
Jönköping 780 0.5% 1.3%
Solna 762 0.9% 1.3%
Helsingborg 706 0.5% 1.2%
Linköping 676 0.4% 1.2%
Södertälje 649 0.6% 1.1%
Växjö 640 0.6% 1.1%
Umeå 619 0.5% 1.1%
Nacka 599 0.5% 1.0%
Hultsfred 587 4.4% 1.0%
Västerås 543 0.3% 0.9%
Huddinge 494 0.4% 0.8%
Norrköping 488 0.3% 0.8%
Täby 472 0.6% 0.8%
Borås 462 0.4% 0.8%
Örebro 452 0.3% 0.8%
Tingsryd 447 3.8% 0.8%
Halmstad 441 0.4% 0.8%
Högsby 414 8.1% 0.7%
Vetlanda 412 1.5% 0.7%
Mölndal 409 0.6% 0.7%

Largest share of residents

Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Germany, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.

MunicipalityNumberShare
Högsby 414 8.1%
Sorsele 111 4.7%
Hultsfred 587 4.4%
Tingsryd 447 3.8%
Uppvidinge 285 3.2%
Malå 91 3.1%
Emmaboda 273 3.1%
Åsele 79 2.9%
Hagfors 309 2.7%
Arjeplog 66 2.6%
Arvidsjaur 133 2.2%
Lessebo 178 2.2%
Gullspång 107 2.2%
Ydre 76 2.1%
Norsjö 80 2.1%
Ljusnarsberg 88 2.1%
Karlsborg 143 2.0%
Kramfors 341 2.0%
Bengtsfors 174 1.9%
Torsby 219 1.9%
Filipstad 184 1.9%
Strömsund 202 1.9%
Nybro 363 1.8%
Torsås 120 1.7%
Hylte 174 1.7%

Common questions about Germans in Sweden

How many Germans live in Sweden?
About 127,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Germany (2025). Of them, about 58,000 were born in Germany and 68,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
Where in Sweden do most Germans live?
The most people born in Germany live in Stockholm (5,857), Göteborg (3,442) and Malmö (2,401). Together, 20% of everyone born in Germany lives in one of these three municipalities.
Which municipality has the largest share of Germans?
Högsby, where 8.1% of residents were born in Germany. It is followed by Sorsele (4.7%) and Hultsfred (4.4%).
Is the number of Germans in Sweden growing or shrinking?
The number of people born in Germany living in Sweden has grown from about 38,000 in 2000 to about 58,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Germany, the whole group has grown from about 116,000 in 2018 to about 127,000 in 2025.
How many were born in Sweden to parents from Germany?
About 68,000. Of them, about 6,700 have two parents born in Germany.

Good to know

Countries in the same region:

Largest groups in Sweden:

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