BBSR Study: Move to the Countryside in Germany Driven by Demographics, Housing and Remote Work
A BBSR study finds Germany’s move to the countryside is driven largely by demographics, tight city housing and remote work—not a broad change in preferences.
The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) has released a study concluding that the recent uptick in people who move to rural areas does not signal a widespread new preference to move to the countryside. The research, based on migration data through 2024 and a survey of about 1,000 recent rural arrivals, says demographic shifts and urban housing pressure explain most of the trend. BBSR researchers caution that the improved migration balance in peripheral communities reflects fewer young people leaving rather than a mass rural attraction.
BBSR analysis challenges the ‘new rural longing’ narrative
The institute’s lead researcher, Thomas Pütz, told reporters the idea of a broad nationwide yearning for rural life is overstated. According to the study, rising net in-migration to many rural districts since roughly 2013 is largely a product of a shrinking cohort of young, highly mobile residents who previously left these areas. The result is that fewer people are departing rural places, not necessarily that substantially more are choosing them.
Survey details reveal who is relocating and where they come from
Researchers commissioned Empirica to analyze internal migration records and to survey around 1,000 people who moved to peripheral rural communities since 2019. The survey found that 23 percent of respondents moved directly from a large city, one third relocated within their own region, and roughly 16 percent returned to their home region. These patterns suggest local dynamics and return migration are important drivers alongside urban-to-rural moves.
Motivations center on space, nature and ownership, not perfect services
The BBSR survey shows families make up a substantial share of recent arrivals, with many citing a desire for peace, proximity to nature and a healthier living environment. Some 37 percent of respondents listed access to nature as central to their decision, while many others prioritized more living space and the opportunity to buy property. City movers reported average living space expanding from about 85 square meters to around 123 square meters, and homeownership among this group rose from roughly 20 percent to 52 percent after the move.
Commuting, mobility and remote work reshape rural choices
While moving to the countryside often increases car dependence and lengthens commutes—around 40 percent of those surveyed reported longer journeys to work—the rise of remote and hybrid work since the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the calculus for many households. The study notes that job offers in some rural areas have also grown both in number and variety, and identifies home‑office workers as a new target group for peripheral communities. For these households, reliable digital infrastructure is a decisive factor in choosing to relocate.
Infrastructure preferences differ by life stage and region
BBSR researcher Brigitte Adam emphasized that practical service needs remain important but vary by household type. Young households place more weight on access to workplaces or educational institutions, families focus on proximity to childcare and opportunities for ownership, and older residents prioritize local shops and health services. The study finds that classical location factors such as frequent public transport, cultural amenities or short city travel times are less commonly decisive than access to basic health care and daily retail within walking distance.
Policy implications point to tailored local strategies over one-size solutions
The authors conclude that there is no single blueprint for rural development that follows directly from the migration data. They recommend that municipalities focus on adaptive, local solutions: make better use of vacant housing and infill building plots instead of opening extensive new building zones, invest in social infrastructure and community offerings, and prioritize digital connectivity for remote workers. Targeted housing products that reflect varying household needs at different life stages can be more effective than broad promotional campaigns.
The BBSR study reframes recent rural migration as a set of localized, demographic and market-driven shifts rather than evidence of a large-scale change in residential preferences. Policymakers and local planners are urged to respond with flexible, place-sensitive measures that support services, repurpose existing stock and strengthen connectivity rather than assuming a uniform new appetite to move to the countryside.
