Population of Bochum in 2025 was 358 676, making it the sixth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the 16th-largest city in Germany. It is also the second-largest city in the region of Westphalia and the fourth-largest city in the Rurh agglomeration. Population of Bochum reached its peak in 1995 at 401 129 and has been slowly decreasing since, reaching 358 676 in 2025.
Population in boroughs of Bochum
Bochum is subdivided into 6 boroughs (Stadtbezirke) each having between 36 000 and 102 000 inhabitants. The most populous borough is Bochum-Mitte. The figures shown in the map below are as of 2016, and are according to estimates. Thus the combined population of all boroughs might be different than the official figure of the whole city of Bochum.
Bochum metropolitan area
Bochum is part of the polycentric Ruhr urban area that has over 5 million inhabitants. Bochum is also part of the larger Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region that has over 11 million inhabitants.