Market Analysis
Internal migration and tenant turnover in Berlin
Moving patterns in Berlin 2017: an analysis of residential mobility
A new analysis of 2016 moving data shows that over 313,000 people changed apartments within Berlin. The inner city sees the most movement. What does this high turnover mean for investors?
Peter Guthmann
Despite an increasingly tight housing market, Berlin remains a mobile city. Our analysis of 2016 migration data shows that 313,603 Berliners moved within city limits. This high level of internal mobility is an indicator of local market dynamics. Berlin remains a "city of short distances" where people value their neighborhood for its social fabric and infrastructure. But there are clear differences between boroughs.
High turnover in the inner city
The most mobility occurs in the central boroughs. In Mitte, 10.6 percent and in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg 10.68 percent of residents moved within Berlin. This points to a young, dynamic population structure. Exchange between trendy boroughs is particularly active: between Kreuzberg and Neukoelln alone, 1,865 moves went toward Neukoelln and 1,673 in the opposite direction.
For owners, high turnover means more management effort, but also the opportunity to adjust rents at re-letting to current market levels.
Neukoelln: arrival point and stepping stone
Neukoelln plays a special role. It attracts many people but also shows strong net outflows to other parts of the city: Schoeneberg, Wedding, Friedrichshain, Britz, and Tempelhof. In total, nearly 29,000 Neukoelln residents (8.84% of the borough's population) changed apartments within Berlin in 2016. This makes Neukoelln a place of arrival but also a stepping stone to other life phases and neighborhoods.
Stability on the outskirts
A different picture emerges at the city's edges. In neighborhoods like Schmoeckwitz, Wannsee, Kladow, or Luebars, turnover is significantly lower. This is due to lower population density, the prevalence of owner-occupied homes, and the dominance of single-family houses. Families and long-term residents create stable neighborhoods. For investors looking for reliable, long-term rental income and low vacancy rates on their apartments in Berlin, these areas are worth considering.
What moving patterns reveal
The analysis offers clues for property owners. Inner-city locations come with high tenant rotation that requires active management. Peripheral areas offer stability. The data alone do not prove gentrification, but they do show which neighborhoods are in transition.