Living in Jena
Discover Jena
Young. Colourful. Diverse.
With a population of around 110,000, Jena offers the benefits of a city with the charms of a small town. Young people and families are in the best of company here, with around one in three of its residents being under 27. The Friedrich Schiller University and the Ernst Abbe University in Jena together have around 22,000 students – with 16 per cent of them being international students – and this gives the city its open, intercultural environment. With an export quota of almost 70 per cent, Jena’s businesses have a very international orientation, and value their team members from all over the globe. The Jena Welcome Center is happy to offer support on arrival and to help you settle into the area.
Welcome Center
Pure quality of life.
Work-life balance is a main focus in Jena. There’s a wide range of leisure, cultural and sports activities on offer for all ages to enjoy. Jena has truly earned its nickname ‘Paradies’ (paradise): the city lies on the River Saale, surrounded by green mountains with a good network of hiking trails. The ideal place to enjoy being out in nature after a day’s work. Culture fans will be delighted by the wide range on offer – from the city’s social culture through to electronic music and a summer festival, and on to concerts with a philharmonic orchestra.
Leisure and cultureShort distances and open people.
In Jena, everything is very near. When distances are short and people are kind, it’s easy to feel welcome and at home. In Jena, the atmosphere is open, engaged, urban, it offers many opportunities to get involved in city life. Completely different ways of life exist here side by side on an equal footing.
Community and participation
Families are very important here.
Jena loves families – and families love Jena. Extensive childcare provision in nurseries and day care centres, committed employers, and a wide choice of schools for children and parents makes Jena a place where it’s actually possible to combine career and family well.
FamilyOutstanding climate.
Last but not least – the sun (almost) always shines in Jena. The Saale valley has its own temperate microclimate. Although that sometimes makes the mornings a little foggy, in the day the temperatures often reach Mediterranean levels. The surrounding limestone slopes store warmth and often keep off the rain which falls on the surrounding areas. So Jena also scores with the best conditions for enjoying outdoor activities.
Leisure and culture