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Hamburg: Germany's strongest city brand 2025 - A victory for the Hanseatic city!
Freiburg im Breisgau achieved second place in the Brandmeyer City Brand Monitor in 2025, overtaking Munich and scoring points with families.
Hamburg: Germany's strongest city brand 2025 - A victory for the Hanseatic city!
On November 11, 2025 it will be that time again: The Brandmeyer City Brand Monitor has rated the most popular cities in Germany, and Hamburg has once again managed to maintain the top position. This is the third time in a row that the Hanseatic city has won the title of strongest city brand in Germany. According to the results of the survey conducted among 10,000 people in the summer of 2025, Hamburg scores a brand strength of 7.5 points on a scale of maximum 10 points, although this represents a slight decrease compared to 7.7 points in 2020. Hamburg040 reports that the survey also included 49 other large German cities as well as Schwerin, creating a comprehensive picture of urban brand perception.
In this year's survey, other cities besides Hamburg also noticed major changes. Particularly notable is the rise of Freiburg, which has overtaken Munich and is now in second place with 7.2 points. Munich itself falls to third place with 7.1 points. Berlin even fell from 4th place to 14th place. Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city, fell from 5th to 7th place and Frankfurt fell from 18th to 27th. These changes show that perceptions of cities can vary greatly, especially among younger age groups.
Attractiveness and quality of life
So what makes Hamburg the most attractive city in Germany? The Hanseatic city shines in various dimensions, including sympathy, a beautiful cityscape and tolerance. Hamburg is also valued as a first-class destination for city trips. However, Munich remains the city with the best economic perception and scores an impressive 8.1 points. For families, Freiburg is the front runner with the best reputation.
The results also show that smaller and eastern German cities are ahead when it comes to affordable housing, with Erfurt in first place. The initiative for the study was carried out by Brandmeyer Markenberatung in collaboration with Innofact and Public Marketing. It should be noted that the results not only reflect objective strengths, but also the subjective perception of the population surveyed.
Cologne special features
It is important for the citizens of Cologne to feel that they are in good hands in day-to-day administration. The city offers numerous services to meet the needs of its residents. This includes, among other things, the application and extension of passports and identity cards, as well as the possibility of carrying out online re-registrations for single households. Opening times from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. are also offered on selected Saturdays, which suits many people. The individual locations are responsible for registration and ID matters, and many appointments can be used flexibly, which benefits the people of Cologne. [Hamburg.de].
In this day and age, when living conditions are constantly changing, it will be exciting to see how the city rankings will develop in the coming year. It remains to be seen whether Cologne and other cities can fight their way back forward. However, one thing is certain: the population has the power to have a lasting influence on the brand strength of their cities through their perception.