Side by side
Germany and the European Union
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Housing costs over 40% of income: Germany 11.2% against the European Union 7.7%, 3.5 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
Germany
the European Union
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: Germany and the European Union
Which covers more ground: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 11.82×: the European Union 4,225,104, Germany 357,569. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 5.39×: the European Union 450.6m, Germany 83.6m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 2.24×: Germany 109.8, the European Union 49.1. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. Eurostat · Railway network & Railway density · 2024. See the figure
Which is more crowded: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 2.15×: Germany 237, the European Union 110. People per square kilometre of that total area. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where is unemployment higher: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 2.2 points: the European Union 6.0%, Germany 3.8%. Share of 15 to 74 year olds in the labour force who are without work and looking for it. Eurostat · Out of work · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 49.5%: Germany 759, the European Union 507. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 0.5 points: the European Union 1.7%, Germany 1.2%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where do more people own their home: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 21.3 points: the European Union 68.5%, Germany 47.2%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. Eurostat · Own their home · 2025. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 2.3 points: the European Union 26.2%, Germany 23.9%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: Germany or the European Union?
The gap is 8.2%: the European Union 42.4, Germany 39.2. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.