Both analyses are based on the social milieu model developed by the Sinus Institute, which defines a total of ten social milieu groups grouped according to the two dimensions of socioeconomic status and subjective basic orientation. Building on this, the digital milieus describe how people use digital services, what skills they possess, and where barriers or reservations exist. 

The two city analyses clearly show that the various milieu groups are distributed very differently across the Wiesbaden urban area. Differences that are already visible at the district level become even more pronounced at the level of smaller-scale planning areas.

Some findings from the analysis of social milieus: The groups designated by Sinus as “leading milieus”—Conservative-Upper Class, Post-Materialists, and Performers—are very similar in terms of their socioeconomic resources and also exhibit similar socio-spatial patterns. They are concentrated primarily in upscale residential areas with a high rate of home ownership, comparatively high purchasing power, and stable household structures. These milieus are particularly pronounced, for example, in parts of Nordost and Sonnenberg, as well as in individual village-like suburbs such as Frauenstein, Naurod, and Heßloch. In some planning areas, these three milieus together account for well over half of all households.

In contrast, the “Expeditives” and “Neo-Ecologicals”—designated by Sinus as “milieus of the future”—are found predominantly in urban and inner-city neighborhoods. The Expeditives embody a cosmopolitan, highly trend-oriented lifestyle and are represented in above-average numbers particularly in areas such as Adolfsallee, Luxemburgplatz, Rheinstraße/Dotzheimer Straße, the Rheingauviertel, and Westend. The Neo-Ecological group is similarly future-oriented as the Expeditives, but places even greater emphasis on sustainable living and corresponding social transformation. They, too, are most heavily concentrated in neighborhoods close to the city center. 

The Precarious are of particular interest in the context of municipal public services, as they are characterized by a concentration of social disadvantages and exclusion. At 7 percent, they constitute a relatively small social group in Wiesbaden overall, but exhibit a striking spatial concentration in a few areas: According to the Sinus model, 15 percent of households in Schelmengraben and 13 percent each in Bergkirchenviertel, Klarenthal-Nord, and Bleichstraße belong to this social group, while in the rest of the city, proportions are generally low, at just a few percent. 

Wiesbaden’s socio-spatial diversity is particularly evident within larger and more heterogeneous districts such as Biebrich. There, the individual planning areas differ considerably in terms of their social structure. While in areas such as Gräselberg, Parkfeld, or parts of Biebrich-Mitte, more traditionally oriented and socioeconomically disadvantaged social milieus are more strongly represented, in upscale residential areas such as Adolfshöhe, Rosenfeld, or Am Hohen Stein, “Conservative-Upscale,” “Post-Material,” and “Performer” types tend to dominate.

The spatial patterns of social milieus are closely linked to other structural characteristics such as age and household structure, homeownership, rent levels, or receipt of SGB II benefits. At the same time, the analyses show that sociestructural differences alone are not sufficient to describe the diversity of living environments in Wiesbaden.

This is also evident in the supplementary analysis of digital milieus. It examines the population that regularly uses the internet and distinguishes six different digital lifestyles—ranging from confident and exploratory use of digital services to groups facing significant barriers to access or digital literacy.

The digital milieus also exhibit characteristic spatial distribution patterns. The “Selective” group constitutes the largest group in many local districts. They use digital services consciously and with some restraint, yet at the same time possess high media literacy and handle both analog and digital information sources with confidence. This group is particularly common in suburban residential areas with an older average age and a high homeownership rate. The “Explorers,” on the other hand, are more prevalent in urban neighborhoods close to downtown with a younger population, high mobility, and a low homeownership rate. The “Experts” are distributed relatively evenly across the urban area and are a defining feature of numerous stable residential areas.

Social groups facing greater digital barriers—particularly the “Strivers” and “Ambivalent”—are more prevalent in socioeconomically heterogeneous or disadvantaged neighborhoods. These areas often have lower purchasing power, a higher proportion of households with an immigrant background, and housing structures dominated by renters. The numerically smaller “Fun-Oriented” group, on the other hand, tends to be concentrated in areas close to the city center with high turnover.

Overall, about 45 percent of the population belongs to digital groups that make only limited use of digital services or are rather cautious about them. In several local districts, these groups even constitute the majority. The analyses thus make it clear that analog information and service offerings continue to play an important role in many parts of Wiesbaden, and that the city should continue to support as barrier-free access as possible to the digital world in order to enable social participation in the digital realm as well.

Taken together, the two publications make it clear that social and digital lifestyles in Wiesbaden vary significantly on a small scale. In some cases, neighborhoods that are directly adjacent to one another can differ markedly from one another, both in terms of social structure and in terms of their values and digital lifestyles. The analyses thus provide important insights for targeted communication with citizens as well as for the needs-based planning of municipal services and initiatives.

The Wiesbaden City Analyses 140 “Social Milieus in Wiesbaden—Diversity and Key Areas in the Urban Area” and 141 “Digital Milieus—Distribution in the Wiesbaden Urban Area” can be downloaded free of charge at wiesbaden.de/statistik (opens in a new tab) or wiesbaden.de/stadtforschung (opens in a new tab).

The Office for Statistics and Urban Research will answer any questions at (0611) 315691 or amt-fuer-statistik-und-stadtforschungwiesbadende.