Statistics: Public debts reach the next record

Public debt rose to the record of 2,510.5 billion euros last year. According to the Statistical Federal Office, this corresponds to per capita debt of 30,062 euros, the plus in the previous year comparison is 669 euros. Since 2020 there has been a continuous increase in debt, said a spokesman for the Federal Office.

These are debts that the public general budget – these are the federal government, countries, municipalities, municipal associations and social security – in the so -called non -public area. This includes, for example, credit institutions and private companies.

Growing is particularly large for communities

Compared to the end of 2023, public debt increased by 2.6 percent at the end of 2024. The increase was almost at all levels, it was greatest with an increase of 10.3 percent among the municipalities and municipal associations. The sum here rose to 170.5 billion euros. In this area, it was the fifth increase in a row, as the Federal Office announced.

As in the previous year, the per capita debt was the highest at the municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Federal Office said. The Hessian and the Saarland communities followed. According to the installation, the debt was the least at the municipalities in Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony.

Increase also with the federal and state governments

The federal debt rose by 2.1 percent to 1,732.7 billion euros. In the federal states, the sum rose for the first time since 2021, and also by 2.1 percent to 607.3 billion euros. According to the information, the total debt of social security decreased by 73.9 percent to 10 million euros.

In the country comparison, per capita debt was highest in the city-states of Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin as in the previous year-the Federal Office pointed out that these cities also perform municipal tasks. Among the area countries, the sum in Saarland and in Schleswig-Holstein was the highest, but the lowest in Bavaria and Saxony.