Offenbach: Population growth puts the city of Dietzenbach in dire straits

Examples from the social structure atlas

Heusenstamm is the city in the Offenbach district with the most senior citizens. Every fourth resident (24.4 percent) is 65 years or older. Dietzenbach only has 18.4 percent elderly.

The purchasing power is the largest in Dreieich. Each Dreieicher has an average disposable income of EUR 30,959 per year. For comparison: the purchasing power of Germans in 2020 was 23,766 euros. In Dietzenbach, purchasing power is only 22,757 euros.

Most single parents live in Neu-Isenburg. 23.3 percent of all 6,500 minors there are brought up by just one parent. Seligenstadt takes second place (22.7 percent).

In prosperous Neu-Isenburg more people are unemployed than the district average. 4.1 percent of all 20 to 65 year olds have no work there; this is the second highest rate after Dietzenbach (5.2 percent). The district average is 3.5 percent unemployed. ann

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The social structure atlas, which was created for the third time after 2000 and 2008, refers to figures from 2019. The 33-page work speaks of a “special social-structural situation” of Dietzenbach. Accordingly, the city has by far the highest proportion of large families in the district, most residents with a migration background, most unemployed and Hartz IV recipients, the highest need for prevention and financial support – and the greatest need for action.

13.1 percent of the population lived on basic security in 2019; the district average was only 7.2 percent. More than 20 percent of children in Dietzenbach are dependent on social benefits. Poverty cannot be eliminated through individual measures, says Dieter Lang (SPD), head of the social affairs department. The city must provide support through advice and education as well as access to cultural offers and integration, and must attract funds for this. Educational offers from independent organizations such as Vhs, AWO, Caritas and Diakonie are also very important. Almost half of the youth work is already funded by the state and the EU.

Dietzenbach are forecast to have an increase of 8.8 percent by 2035. For the district there is only a two percent rate during this period Population growth predicted. So even more large families will move to the city. 61 percent of Dietzenbach families currently have three or more children. Far behind, Langen follows in second place with 39.1 percent. According to the social structure atlas, they have “a significantly higher risk of needing social assistance”.

Mayor Jürgen Rogg (independent) foresees enormous pressure on the housing market, because Frankfurt residents are following suit Dietzenbach. In the current housing project at the Hessentagspark, well over half of the inquiries come “from families who can no longer afford Frankfurt”. Dietzenbach I have no more residential areas that could be identified, and the regional association will not grant the city any large residential areas in the new zoning plan because there is a lot of residential space to be developed in other cities such as Rodgau. I also have Dietzenbach already today “a density like Offenbach“Says Lang. “Dietzenbach cannot cope with further residential densification,” Rogg is certain. For 40,000 residents: the infrastructure inside does not fit. “People will have to go to other cities.”