Population of Bielefeld in 2025 was 331 605, making it the eighth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the 18th-largest city in Germany. The population of Bielefeld has been slowly growing, from 319 037 in 1991 to 331 605.
Population in boroughs of Bielefeld
Bielefeld is subdivided into 10 boroughs (Stadtbezirke) each having between 10 000 and 80 000 inhabitants. The most populous borough is Mitte. The figures shown in the map below are as of 2025, and are according to estimates. Thus the combined population of all boroughs might be different than the official figure of the whole city of Bielefeld.
Bielefeld metropolitan area
Bochum, together with suburbs, forms a larger urban area which has 591 862 inhabitants. However, Bielefeld is not part of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.