A region worth living in: culture, nature and an economy that is doing well
Living in the countryside and working in a high-tech company. This is not a contradiction in terms in the Böblingen district, but part of the recipe for success. The municipalities form the pillars on which the district stands.
A total of 26 municipalities - including five towns and 17 communities - form the backbone of the Böblingen district. Those who are enthusiastic about city life will find what they are looking for in the district's four large towns with charming medieval old towns: Leonberg, Sindelfingen, Herrenberg and Böblingen. Around 115,000 people live in the greater Sindelfingen and Böblingen area alone. A wide range of cultural offerings, varied gastronomy, numerous leisure activities and diverse educational opportunities for families make the district an attractive region for newcomers and locals alike. Well-known international companies and institutions are based here.
The municipality of Ehningen has the highest per capita purchasing power in the district
But even those looking for rural tranquillity and seclusion between Schönbuch and Heckengäu, who like the proximity to the Black Forest and appreciate the special togetherness of a village community, don't have to travel far. The municipalities of the Böblingen district are located in one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Germany, the core area of which is the first and oldest nature park in Baden-Württemberg. The smallest municipality in the district with just over 3,300 inhabitants is Deckenpfronn. The village is only half an hour's drive from Sindelfingen and Böblingen and offers a pure village idyll with orchards, farmsteads and forests - in the middle of the Heckengäu and on the border to the Black Forest.
High purchasing power
But nature is not the only thing that makes the district special: here, the proverbial Swabian industriousness has contributed to a very high standard of living, as evidenced by the retail-relevant purchasing power. The most recent survey by the Stuttgart IHK region - which also includes the state capital Stuttgart and the districts of Esslingen, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr-Kreis - confirms that the Böblingen district is in first place in the purchasing power comparison. According to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the approximately 397,000 inhabitants have a total of over three billion euros in retail-relevant purchasing power. The cities of Leonberg and Sindelfingen are in the lead. But even the small town of Deckenpfronn has a retail purchasing power of more than 27 million euros.
With an average purchasing power of 8,070 euros per capita, the district of Böblingen is still ahead of Stuttgart and the districts of Esslingen and Ludwigsburg. A comparison of the municipalities in the district shows that Ehningen leads the ranking with a per capita purchasing power of 8,650 euros, ahead of Leonberg (8,527 euros) and Grafenau (8,466 euros). This puts Leonberg in a remarkable fourth place in the Stuttgart region, which comprises 179 municipalities. Even Mötzingen, with the lowest per capita purchasing power in the district (EUR 7,398), is still above the national average.
Source: IHK Stuttgart Region, 2022
Vibrant educational landscape
The high purchasing power in the district is an expression of a booming economy, which, in addition to the automotive industry, is primarily characterized by information and communication technology. All business sectors - research, development and production - are located here. Companies can therefore draw on the full potential of the workforce: thanks to the comprehensive education and training opportunities, there are numerous well-qualified graduates who can support their employers with energy and innovative spirit.
The range of services for families is also good: the 120 public general education schools in the municipalities are complemented by 316 daycare centers. The district itself is responsible for six public vocational schools with an industrial, commercial and home economics focus as well as the technical college for agriculture and six special education and counseling centers (SBBZ) with associated school kindergartens and the school for children undergoing long-term hospital treatment (hospital school).
Other research and development facilities include the Herman Hollerith Center, a research institute in Böblingen, and the Agricultural Research Station, one of Germany's leading facilities for agricultural research and development, which the district maintains together with the University of Hohenheim. A wide range of educational and cultural opportunities, high purchasing power, a flourishing economy and all of this embedded in the beauty of nature with a high recreational value: the district of Böblingen is a region worth living in.
