Quick facts
Münster overview
Münster (orange) and the other large cities of Germany
Münster lies in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany at 51.96°N, 7.63°E, about 64 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Berlin (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Bonn (330,579) and larger than Mannheim (307,960). 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 399 km away; the nearest large city is Hamm, 34 km from Münster.
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 Münster
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Hamm North Rhine-Westphalia | 34 km | 178,967 |
| Osnabrück Lower Saxony | 45 km | 166,462 |
| Recklinghausen North Rhine-Westphalia | 49 km | 122,438 |
| Dortmund North Rhine-Westphalia | 51 km | 588,462 |
| Herne North Rhine-Westphalia | 55 km | 172,108 |
| Bochum North Rhine-Westphalia | 60 km | 385,729 |
| Gelsenkirchen North Rhine-Westphalia | 63 km | 270,028 |
| Bielefeld North Rhine-Westphalia | 63 km | 331,906 |
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 Münster?
Münster has about 308,258 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Münster the capital of Germany?
No. The capital of Germany is Berlin (3,426,354 people), about 399 km away. Münster is the 20th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Münster compared with the rest of Germany?
Its 308,258 residents are 0.4% of the 83,587,871 people living in Germany today. Berlin is larger with 3,426,354 people.
Where is Münster?
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at latitude 51.96 and longitude 7.63, 64 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Hamm (34 km), Osnabrück (45 km), Recklinghausen (49 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Münster Population 2026 — Germany. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/germany/muenster/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/germany/muenster/">Münster 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.