I recently came across this milestone in the City of Vienna’s “Vienna in Figures 2024” brochure, which reports that the population of Vienna has once again surpassed the two‑million mark.
According to preliminary data, Vienna quietly crossed a remarkable milestone, and its population has surpassed two million people once again, making it the fifth‑largest city in the European Union. For anyone who has watched Vienna evolve over the past two decades, this moment feels both historic and deeply symbolic of the city’s openness and vitality.
Much of this growth comes from people choosing Vienna as their new home, from neighbouring countries like Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, as well as from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. This steady influx has reshaped the city in ways that feel both dynamic and hopeful.
Vienna’s population story has always been cyclical. After reaching a historic peak of 2.08 million in 1910, the city experienced decades of decline, dropping to 1.48 million by 1988. However, the fall of the Iron Curtain marked a turning point. From the 1990s onward, Vienna began to grow again, and since the start of the 21st century, it has added an average of twenty thousand residents each year.
Today, Vienna proudly stands as one of the most diverse cities in the EU. Around 39 percent of its residents were born abroad, creating a rich cultural mosaic that includes long‑established communities from Serbia and Turkey, as well as a growing number of newcomers from Germany. Over the past twenty years, the presence of Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, and Slovaks has steadily increased. More recently, people from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine have also found safety and opportunity here.
These demographic shifts have reshaped Vienna’s identity in meaningful ways. The city that was once considered one of the “oldest” in the world during the 1970s is now Austria’s youngest province. About 70 percent of residents are of working age (15–64), while only 17 percent are over 65. This youthful, diverse population fuels Vienna’s energy, creativity, and economic potential.
The population surge typically peaks in September and October, when thousands of students from across Austria and abroad register their new residences. Each year, the Austrian Statistical Office releases preliminary figures in October—numbers that increasingly reflect Vienna’s role as a vibrant, dynamic hub for education, innovation, and culture.
To me, these numbers tell a deeper story. Vienna is still a city people gravitate toward—a place that embraces change, grows with its residents, and lets diversity flourish in real, tangible ways. It’s something you can sense in daily life, not just read in statistics.
If you notice any inaccuracies in my writing, please contact me. I will be happy to correct it.
