Rente: Ost-Rentner haben kaum weniger Geld, aber seltener ein Eigenheim

Older pensioners in eastern Germany earn nearly the same as their counterparts in the west but are less likely to own their homes, according to new data from the Federal Statistical Office released on Tuesday. The average net income of pensioner households aged 65 and above in the east is €2,270 per month, compared to €2,350 in the west.

While 61% of pensioners in the west own their homes, only 44% do in the east. Statisticians noted that while owning a primary residence is a significant asset, it does not count towards income calculations. In western federal states, 39% of pensioners rent, while in eastern states, the majority are renters at 56%. This difference in housing situation is reflected in their income sources.

Pensioners in the east rely more heavily on statutory pensions and social security, with these sources accounting for 96% of their household income. In the west, this figure is 92%, with nearly four percent coming from assets like rental income or capital gains. Conversely, the percentage of income from such sources in the east is a minuscule one percent.

Despite these disparities in wealth, the poverty risk for pensioners in both east and west is almost identical. Nationwide, 18.9% of people aged 65 and above are considered at risk of poverty. In the eastern states, the rate is 18.5%, matching the 19.0% in the western states. According to EU definition, someone is considered at risk of poverty if they have less than 60% of the average income of the total population.

Recently, state leaders Michael Kretschmer from Saxony, Sven Schulze from Saxony-Anhalt, and Mario Voigt from Thuringia (all CDU) proposed in a joint paper that the unique aspects of eastern Germany should be more prominently addressed in the debate on pension and care reforms. "The pension eligibility after 45 years of contributions is particularly important in our regions, as a relatively large number of people actually achieve this number of contributions," they stated, calling for no abolition of the so-called "pension after 63" but for transitional rules. More: CDU leaders lament disadvantages for eastern Germany – here are the facts.