Quick facts
Bielefeld overview
Bielefeld (orange) and the other large cities of Germany
Bielefeld lies in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany at 52.03°N, 8.53°E, about 111 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Berlin (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a local seat.
It is smaller than Wuppertal (360,797) and larger than Bonn (330,579). The largest city in Germany is Berlin with 3,426,354 people; the capital, Berlin, has 3,426,354.
The national capital, Berlin, is about 336 km away; the nearest large city is Paderborn, 38 km from Bielefeld.
Germany as a whole has a live population of 83,587,871 (-0.2% a year) and ranks #19 of 238 countries — see the Germany population page for the full statistics and the Germany atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bielefeld
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Paderborn North Rhine-Westphalia | 38 km | 142,161 |
| Osnabrück Lower Saxony | 42 km | 166,462 |
| Münster North Rhine-Westphalia | 63 km | 308,258 |
| Hamm North Rhine-Westphalia | 63 km | 178,967 |
| Hannover Lower Saxony | 90 km | 515,140 |
| Dortmund North Rhine-Westphalia | 93 km | 588,462 |
| Hildesheim Lower Saxony | 98 km | 103,052 |
| Recklinghausen North Rhine-Westphalia | 103 km | 122,438 |
Largest cities in Germany
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BerlinCapital | State of Berlin | 3,426,354 |
| 2 | Hamburg | Hamburg | 1,973,896 |
| 3 | Munich | Bavaria | 1,505,005 |
| 4 | Köln | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1,024,621 |
| 5 | Frankfurt am Main | Hesse | 650,000 |
| 6 | Düsseldorf | North Rhine-Westphalia | 618,685 |
| 7 | Stuttgart | Baden-Wurttemberg | 612,663 |
| 8 | Essen | North Rhine-Westphalia | 593,085 |
| 9 | Dortmund | North Rhine-Westphalia | 588,462 |
| 10 | Dresden | Saxony | 564,904 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bielefeld?
Bielefeld has about 331,906 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bielefeld the capital of Germany?
No. The capital of Germany is Berlin (3,426,354 people), about 336 km away. Bielefeld is the 18th largest city of the country and a local seat.
How big is Bielefeld compared with the rest of Germany?
Its 331,906 residents are 0.4% of the 83,587,871 people living in Germany today. Berlin is larger with 3,426,354 people.
Where is Bielefeld?
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at latitude 52.03 and longitude 8.53, 111 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Paderborn (38 km), Osnabrück (42 km), Münster (63 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bielefeld Population 2026 — Germany. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/germany/bielefeld/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/germany/bielefeld/">Bielefeld Population 2026 — Germany</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.