Wealth and poverty in the Ruhr area: Herdecke leads, Gelsenkirchen falls back!

Wealth and poverty in the Ruhr area: Herdecke leads, Gelsenkirchen falls back!

Gelsenkirchen, Deutschland - The shock message from Gelsenkirchen: The city is the bottom of the light in North Rhine-Westphalia when it comes to the available income per inhabitant! According to the latest figures from the State Statistical Office IT.NRW, the available income in Gelsenkirchen is only 18,522 euros. For comparison: In the prosperous Herdecke, which leads the ranking list, citizens can expect a whopping 37,387 euros! A difference in heaven that reveals the alarming economic conditions of the city.

But what does "available income" actually mean? It is the sum of wages, independent income and assets that are available to households for consumption and savings after deduction of taxes and social security contributions as well as after additional social benefits. In Gelsenkirchen, the citizens therefore have significantly less money for daily expenses, while other cities in the Ruhr area were able to benefit from an increase in available income - a total of 5.7 billion euros rose to 116.5 billion euros in 2022.

the economic reality

With the dark numbers, the economic reality in Gelsenkirchen becomes mercilessly clear. While other cities are flourishing, Gelsenkirchen is fighting for every euro. These financial bottlenecks could have far -reaching consequences for the quality of life of the residents. The city, which was once known for its coal mining, faces a massive challenge that urgently needs to be addressed. The question remains: How long can Gelsenkirchen still stay in the lower income league?