Neukölln Bezirk
Ortsteile in Neukölln
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Neukölln for expats
Neukölln is one of Berlin's most international and historically working-class districts, home to around 305.021 people. It stretches from the dense streets near the Landwehrkanal down to a quieter, suburban south. The northern half has changed fast over the past decade, drawing a younger international crowd into streets that were long defined by migrant families and cheap rents. The south, around Britz, Rudow and Buckow, stays calmer and more conventionally residential.
It draws renters who want diversity and a changing northern scene, and it splits sharply between that north and a calmer suburban south.
Around three in ten residents were born abroad
The district is one of the most diverse in the capital, with 30% of residents born outside Germany. That mix is long-standing rather than recent, rooted in decades of migrant settlement.
Residents born in another EU country number about 28.799, while those born outside the EU are roughly 62.161, more than twice as many. The non-EU share reflects established Turkish, Arab and other communities that shaped the district's commerce and food.
Sonnenallee, the long artery running through the north, is widely known for its Arab businesses, bakeries and restaurants. Everyday life across the two halves of the district reflects this heritage in the shops, markets and languages heard on the street.
Single-family homes make up about a third of the stock
Housing in the district splits along its geography. Single-family homes account for around 30% of the stock, concentrated in the suburban south rather than the dense north.
Nord-Neukoelln, near the Landwehrkanal and the Weserstrasse area, holds the apartment blocks, the bars and the younger international population, and it has changed quickly over roughly ten years. The south, around Britz, Rudow and Buckow, is quieter, greener and more conventionally residential.
Recent new build is minimal at roughly 3% of stock, so most of what turns over is older housing. The contrast between a fast-shifting north and a stable south is the single clearest fact about living here.
Over eight in ten homes are rented
Tenure is overwhelmingly rental, at about 83% of homes, so the practical question for almost any newcomer is the rental search rather than a purchase. Ownership is a minority position across the district.
Income here is low by city standards, at roughly €23k per resident, and high earners make up only around 6% of the population. That historic affordability is part of what drew younger arrivals north.
Rents have climbed sharply with gentrification over the past ten years, and the gap between long-standing tenants and new arrivals paying market rates is a live local tension. The cheap-rent reputation now lags well behind what the northern streets actually cost.
Single-person homes outnumber families nearly three to one
Of roughly 162.760 households, single-person homes are the clear majority at about 93.451. The district is built around people living alone or in small arrangements rather than large families.
Households with children number around 36.661, a smaller cohort weighted toward the south. Daycare is physically close, with the nearest facility on average about 0,2 km away, though securing a place is a separate matter.
Tempelhofer Feld, the former airport turned open park, runs along the western edge and gives the dense north its main green outlet for cycling, running and gardening. The commercial base is substantial, with about 26.058 registered businesses spread across the area.
Frequently asked questions
How international is the district?
Highly. Close to three in ten residents were born abroad, reflecting long-standing Turkish, Arab and other communities built up over many decades. Streets like Sonnenallee are known for their Arab businesses and food, and you hear several languages on the street.
What is the difference between the north and the south?
The north, near the Landwehrkanal, is dense, younger and full of bars and an international crowd, and it has changed fast over the past ten years. The south, around Britz, Rudow and Buckow, is quieter and more suburban, where most of the single-family homes sit.
Is it still cheap to live here?
Less than its reputation suggests. Average income per resident is low by city standards, but rents have risen sharply with gentrification over the past decade, especially in the north. The affordability that drew newcomers around 2015 has narrowed.
Can I buy a home here?
For most people, no. More than eight in ten homes are rented, so the practical task is almost always securing a rental rather than a purchase. New build adds very little, at only a few percent of stock.
Is there green space?
Yes, mainly through Tempelhofer Feld, the former airport park along the western edge, which serves the dense north. The southern areas of Britz and Rudow are themselves greener and more spread out across the district's 4.227 of land.
Who tends to feel out of place here?
People expecting quiet, space or a roomy family flat in the north tend to struggle, since households with children are a minority cohort of around thirty-seven thousand. Families and those wanting calm usually look to the southern districts instead.