Köln Population 2026

Köln has a population of 1,024,621, making it the #4 biggest city in 🇩🇪 Germany, located in North Rhine-Westphalia. Roughly 1.2% of Germany's population lives here. It is about 3.3× smaller than Berlin, the country's biggest city.

Location of Köln (capital Berlin shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

1,024,621

Rank in Germany

Coordinates

50.93°N, 6.95°E

~58 m elevation · Europe/Berlin

Distance to capital (Berlin)

479 km

297 miles, straight line

Other big cities in North Rhine-Westphalia

City	Population	Rank in Germany
Düsseldorf	618,685	#6
Essen	593,085	#8
Dortmund	588,462	#9
Duisburg	504,358	#15
Bochum	385,729	#16
Wuppertal	360,797	#17
Bielefeld	331,906	#18
Bonn	330,579	#19

Cities near Köln

Leverkusen162,738 people · ~11 km away
Bergisch Gladbach106,184 people · ~14 km away
Bonn330,579 people · ~24 km away
Düsseldorf618,685 people · ~34 km away
Wuppertal360,797 people · ~38 km away
Mönchengladbach261,742 people · ~45 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Köln?

Köln has a population of 1,024,621 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #4 biggest city in Germany.

What region is Köln in?

Köln is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Is Köln the capital of Germany?

No, the capital of Germany is Berlin, about 479 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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