Giessen as an investment location for real estate
University city with a young demographic and broad demand base
According to municipal statistics from 06/2024, Giessen has a population of around 93,040 and, with an average age of 38, is the youngest city in Hessen - a stable basis for sustained demand for housing in inner-city and campus locations. The university landscape is the central anchor of demand: around 36,000 students are enrolled in Giessen (JLU, THM, FTH, Hochschule für öffentliches Management), which marks one of the highest student densities in Germany and generates continuous demand for micro-apartments, floor plans suitable for shared flats and furnished concepts. Time series show rising or high student numbers at Justus Liebig University (over 25,000 in winter semester 2023/24), confirming the university pulse as a structural driver for rentability and re-letting security.
Accessibility, public transport hub and city center profile
As a regional and long-distance transport hub in the Central Hesse network, Giessen offers direct RE/RB connections to Frankfurt, Kassel, Siegen/NRW, among others, as well as ICE connections at regular intervals; temporary construction site and replacement services are regularly communicated, but the basic connection remains robustly relevant for commuter flows and the tenant base in locations close to the railroad station and city center. The city acts as a supply and retail center of the region with very high centrality (centrality index 167.6), which supports frequency, visibility and ground floor uses in central streets. In the district context, the Demographic Atlas 2024 shows sustained growth since 2018 and positive migration balances, with the city of Giessen benefiting more than average from the influx - another indicator of sustainable demand in urban districts.
Strategies and micro-locations: core to value-add with ESG levers
Core profiles are recommended in refurbished properties close to the campus and city center (JLU/THM axes, railroad station area, city center close to the ring road), which benefit from the high student ratio and regional centrality - with predictable cash flows and low fluctuation. Value-add potential lies in energy modernization, window replacement/insulation, efficient heating and PV retrofitting in old and post-war buildings as well as in the repositioning of first floor areas along high-traffic city corridors, which are supported by the strong retail and service profile. In view of the young population structure and the large university ecosystem, floor plans suitable for shared flats, micro/furnishing concepts and local services remain particularly viable - supported by persistent student numbers and Giessen's role as a science and supply center in Central Hesse.
Standard land values for Giessen
The standard land values for Giessen can be found in the standard land values for Hesse here.