85 percent of people born in Bavaria stay to live in the state during adulthood, according to new statistics published by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BIB) - the highest proportion in the whole country.

The economy and job prospects in the Free State are strong

Though statisticians are not precisely sure why so many people born in Bavaria stay there, one of the reasons behind this loyalty is likely the relative economic prosperity of Bavaria compared to other federal states. The average annual income in Bavaria stands at 55.000 euros, with salaries in Berlin averaging at a lower 49.000, according to data collected by Payscale.com.

Though Bavarians are the most likely to stay in their state, they are by no means the only ones who stick to their roots. Those born in Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia are also likely to spend their whole lives within their home state, with respectively 83 and 82 percent of people born there still living there as adults. 

Those born in Hamburg and Bremen are not so loyal

In comparison, only around half of people born in Hamburg and Bremen grow up to live in their home state, instead moving to other parts of the country and further afield throughout their adult life. Bremen and Hamburg sit at the bottom of the BIB’s ranking, closely behind Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. 

The BIB’s statistics also show that East Germans are more likely to move away from their homeland, when compared with their western counterparts. Similar to Bavaria, economic conditions and job prospects are also likely to play a role here, with more job openings, training opportunities and increased salaries often being found in the west of the country.