Elmshorn as an investment location for real estate
52,989 inhabitants (01.08.2025) and medium-sized center on the edge of the HVV - stable demand base
According to the official location page, Elmshorn has 52,989 inhabitants as of 01.08.2025; the city is thus clearly in the 50k segment and functions as a medium-sized center in the district of Pinneberg with a high population density of 2,480 inhabitants/km². The official population update also documents 50,728 inhabitants as of 31.12.2023 and a proportion of foreigners of 18.2%, which signals a diversified demand base from families to students (NORDAKADEMIE) to skilled workers. Municipal key figures also show the municipal assessment rates in 2025 (property tax B 506%, trade tax 400%), which are relevant for cash flow calculations.
Accessibility and public transport: Hamburg-Elmshorn S/RE corridor, HVV network maintenance and new express bus axis
Elmshorn is closely connected to Hamburg by HVV; the HVV passenger information system serves as a central information and ticket platform for S-Bahn, regional and bus services, which increases the everyday usability of micro-locations close to public transport. The X95 express bus line was extended from S Hamburg Airport via Pinneberg to Elmshorn (new section every 60 minutes Mon-Sat, every two hours on Sundays and public holidays) with the timetable change 12/2024, thus accelerating the connection to important hubs - a clear rental lever for living close to the axis. Construction and timetable changes in the Nordbahn/RE corridor are announced transparently (e.g. RB71 replacement services/partial cancellations), which ensures predictability and tenant comfort despite measures.
Urban development and ESG levers: ISEK-supported inner city transformation "Krückau-Vormstegen" and town hall/cultural quarter
Elmshorn manages urban development via an integrated urban development concept (ISEK), which serves as a model for housing, transportation, retail and climate and anchors the funding logic. The focus is on the "southern city center extension" close to the city center in the Krückau-Vormstegen/Bahnhof area, which has been designated as a redevelopment area since 2008: An urban quarter with a new town hall development, cultural hall quarter in historic industrial buildings, upgraded waterfront locations, renovated Buttermarkt and linked open/green spaces are being created on 18.5 hectares - a structured framework for repositioning, ground floor activation and energy modernization in prime/1B locations. Current urban demographic signals such as 10,082 foreign nationals as at 31.12.2024 (almost a fifth of the population) underline a more international trend in demand, which should be taken into account in the product mix and floor plan planning.
Standard land values for Elmshorn
The standard land values for Elmshorn can be found in the standard land values for Schleswig-Holstein here.