In short
Herford is a rural district (Landkreis) in North Rhine-Westphalia with 254,404 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Herford district itself; the nearest is Hochschule Bielefeld - University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI) in Bielefeld, about 18 km away. Summers average 18.1 °C and winters 3 °C, with about 775 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).
Herford district in numbers
- Population
- Area
450.4 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- People per km²
- Universities in the district
- Nearest university
Hochschule Bielefeld - University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI), BielefeldWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)
About 18 km away in a straight line
- Typical student rent
€7.18–€10.72/m² monthly cold rentSource (opens in a new tab)
Range of the published mean rents across construction-age categories for apartments up to 40 m² in Herford’s Mietspiegel dated 1 November 2025, before applicable location or modernisation adjustments. This is a comparison-rent benchmark for unfurnished, non-price-controlled housing, excluding operating costs; it is not an advertised-room average.
- Average temperature
10.4 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)
- Rain
775 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)
- Sunshine
1,625 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)
- Frost days
57 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)
About Herford district
Herford district lies in East Westphalia, in north-eastern North Rhine-Westphalia. Herford, Bünde and Löhne form its main urban corridor, surrounded by the rolling Ravensberg countryside; Vlotho reaches the Weser valley (district background (opens in a new tab)).
Manufacturing and culture sit close together here. Hettich makes furniture fittings at several district locations, while Herford’s Marta museum presents contemporary art in a building designed by Frank Gehry (Hettich (opens in a new tab), Marta Herford (opens in a new tab)).
Main towns
Herford
The district seat, with the Marta contemporary-art museum and direct trains to Bielefeld (district background (opens in a new tab), Marta (opens in a new tab), Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)).
Bünde
An industrial town with a Miele plant developing and producing hobs, steam ovens and warming drawers (Miele (opens in a new tab)).
Löhne
A railway junction with regional routes towards Bielefeld, Hannover and the Osnabrück–Rheine corridor (transport overview (opens in a new tab)).
Vlotho
A Weser-side town whose castle ruins overlook the river valley (Teutoburger Wald Tourism (opens in a new tab)).
Nearest universities
No university in Herford district itself — these are the nearest (straight-line distance).
No university is listed within Herford district. Nearby choices include Bielefeld University, HSBI, FHM and Fachhochschule der Diakonie in Bielefeld. Living here therefore means planning a commute: direct trains reach Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof, followed by a separate campus journey; Bielefeld University directs passengers onwards by Stadtbahn line 4 (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab), university directions (opens in a new tab)). Herford is worth considering if you prefer living outside the university city or want links to local industry. Hettich offers apprenticeships and dual study, alongside opportunities for enrolled students (training routes (opens in a new tab), student opportunities (opens in a new tab)).
Hochschule Bielefeld - University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI)
Bielefeld · 18 km away · 67 courses
Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM)
Bielefeld · 18 km away · 48 courses
Bielefeld University
Bielefeld · 18 km away · 173 courses
Fachhochschule der Diakonie - Diaconia - University of Applied Sciences
Bielefeld · 20 km away · 9 courses
Berufsakademie Melle
Melle, Wiehengeb · 21 km away · 2 courses
Housing
Start with private shared flats and ordinary rental apartments. WWS publishes local apartment offers, while WG-Gesucht has a Herford search page (WWS (opens in a new tab), WG-Gesucht (opens in a new tab)). The city’s Mietspiegel provides a useful cold-rent benchmark, but does not establish how easily a student can find a room or what a furnished room will cost (City of Herford (opens in a new tab)).
The typical student rent we found, and what that figure covers, is in the key facts.
How to find a place
- Set up a Herford search alert on WG-Gesucht, checking both shared rooms and small apartments (Herford listings (opens in a new tab)).
- Check WWS Herford’s apartment portal and contact the provider about suitable smaller properties (WWS housing offers (opens in a new tab)).
- Compare an apartment’s cold rent with the correct size, building-age and location category in the official Mietspiegel; ask separately about heating and other charges (City of Herford (opens in a new tab)).
- Before signing, test the full journey from the address to your teaching building, including the connection from Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof and the return after evening classes (DB journey planner (opens in a new tab), Bielefeld University directions (opens in a new tab)).
Cost of living
Budget for warm rent rather than the cold rent alone: Herford’s official rent table excludes operating costs (Mietspiegel (opens in a new tab)). For students enrolled at Bielefeld University, the winter 2026/27 semester contribution is €351.65, including €226.80 for the Germany-wide semester ticket (Bielefeld University (opens in a new tab)). The ordinary Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in 2026; check whether your institution already provides a semester ticket before buying it separately (WestfalenTarif (opens in a new tab)). Compare actual housing offers and commuting costs before assuming that living here will save money over Bielefeld.
Jobs & employers
Furniture fittings, domestic appliances and healthcare provide useful starting points for career research: Hettich operates district sites, Miele has its Bünde plant, and Kreiskliniken Herford-Bünde runs hospitals in both towns (Hettich (opens in a new tab), Miele (opens in a new tab), Kreiskliniken (opens in a new tab)). Hettich explicitly offers internships, working-student positions and degree projects. Local restaurant careers pages also confirm service and kitchen work suitable for part-time job searches (Hettich students (opens in a new tab), FÖGE (opens in a new tab), Gourmet World (opens in a new tab)).
Typical student jobs
- Engineering and technical-project working-student roles at Hettich in Kirchlengern (student careers (opens in a new tab)).
- Restaurant and event-service shifts, including student-compatible casual work at FÖGE in Herford (FÖGE careers (opens in a new tab)).
- Kitchen assistance and restaurant-service work on part-time or minijob contracts (Gourmet World Herford careers (opens in a new tab)).
Major employers
Hettich (opens in a new tab)
Furniture fittings and manufacturing
District locations include Kirchlengern/Bünde, Spenge and Vlotho; local operations specialise in hinges, runners and drawer systems (Hettich careers and locations (opens in a new tab)).
Miele — Bünde plant (opens in a new tab)
Domestic appliances
Develops and manufactures hobs, steam ovens and warming drawers at its Bünde plant (Miele (opens in a new tab)).
Kreiskliniken Herford-Bünde (opens in a new tab)
Healthcare
Operates Klinikum Herford and Lukas-Krankenhaus Bünde; its careers portal covers employment and training routes (hospital group (opens in a new tab), careers (opens in a new tab)).
Getting around
Regional rail links connect the main towns, with local and regional buses serving surrounding neighbourhoods (district transport overview (opens in a new tab)). DB’s checked examples for Herford–Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof take 6–17 minutes without changing; these are station-to-station examples, not a complete university commute (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Bielefeld University gives approximately seven minutes on Stadtbahn line 4 from Hauptbahnhof to Universität, before allowing for interchange and walking (university directions (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses, Stadtbahn and regional trains in second class, but not standard IC, EC or ICE journeys (WestfalenTarif (opens in a new tab)). Check evening and weekend connections for the exact address before choosing accommodation.
- Main stations
- Herford — regional interchange with long-distance services (transport overview (opens in a new tab)).
- Bünde (Westf) — regional connections and long-distance services (transport overview (opens in a new tab)).
- Löhne (Westf) — regional railway junction (transport overview (opens in a new tab)).
- Nearest airport
Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport (PAD)
The nearest commercial airport to Herford town according to the checked airport comparison; access by public transport involves a train to Paderborn and an onward airport bus. Compare the full connection with your flight time (airport comparison (opens in a new tab), airport access information (opens in a new tab)).
Weather & seasons
Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Herford (5 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.
Winter
3 °C
69 mm rain a month
1.8 h sun a day
Spring
10 °C
52 mm rain a month
5.6 h sun a day
Summer
18.1 °C
72 mm rain a month
6.9 h sun a day
Autumn
10.4 °C
65 mm rain a month
3.4 h sun a day
Expect cool, often damp winters, changeable spring and autumn weather, and generally mild summers with occasional hot days. A waterproof jacket and good bicycle lights are sensible for commuting. Summer offers more opportunities for outdoor evenings and trips to Hücker Moor, while Marta is an indoor option throughout the colder part of the year (Hücker Moor (opens in a new tab), Marta (opens in a new tab)).
Culture, language & food
Marta gives Herford a substantial contemporary-art venue, while the Hoeker-Fest brings live music and local associations into the town centre (Marta (opens in a new tab), Hoeker-Fest (opens in a new tab)). Regional heritage also includes Low German: the Kreisheimatverein maintains conversation activities, publications and recorded local place names (Kreisheimatverein (opens in a new tab)). For a student, these are useful routes into local life; if frequent campus evenings are central to your plans, weigh the return journey to Herford when choosing where to live.
Plan to use practical German for apartment viewings, official appointments and customer-facing work; do not assume English will be available in every situation. As a personal learning goal, B1–B2 German would make independent everyday life easier, rather than being a district-wide formal requirement. Standard German is the everyday language, with a regional accent; Low German remains part of local heritage and organised activities (district background (opens in a new tab), Kreisheimatverein (opens in a new tab)).
Local food
Westfälischer Pickert
A regional potato-based pancake, served with sweet or savoury accompaniments such as compote or liver sausage (regional food guide (opens in a new tab)).
Pumpernickel
The traditional Westphalian dark rye bread, with a dense texture and mildly sweet flavour (regional food guide (opens in a new tab)).
Westfälischer Schinken
Smoked, matured ham associated with the wider Westphalian region, often eaten with bread (regional food guide (opens in a new tab)).
Places & events
Places to see
Marta Herford
Museum
Contemporary art with connections to architecture and design, housed in Frank Gehry’s curved brick-and-metal museum building (Marta Herford (opens in a new tab)).
Burg Vlotho
Castle
Castle ruins on the Amtshausberg with views over the Weser valley. The tourism board lists entry as free (visitor information (opens in a new tab)).
Hücker Moor
Lake
A small lake in Spenge with rowing-boat hire and waterside restaurants, accessible on local cycling routes (Teutoburger Wald Tourism (opens in a new tab)).
Events
Herford Hoeker-Fest (opens in a new tab)
Summer; the announced 2027 edition runs 30 June–4 July.
An annual town-centre festival with live music, food stalls and activities across several squares; the organiser describes admission as free (official festival page (opens in a new tab)).
Bünder Zwiebelmarkt (opens in a new tab)
September; the confirmed 2026 edition ran 24–27 September.
Bünde’s recurring town festival combines fairground rides, market stalls, live music and food (City of Bünde (opens in a new tab)).
Entrance and exterior of the Marta Herford museum
Aerial view of Hücker Moor lake and its surroundings in Spenge
Student experiences
First-hand posts from students in Herford district, read by our team before they appear.
Loading experiences…
Studying in Herford district: FAQ
Is Herford district a good place to live as a student?
It is worth considering if you are comfortable commuting and prefer to live outside Bielefeld. Herford town has direct trains to Bielefeld, but compare the full journey to your campus and the last connection home before choosing an address (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab), university directions (opens in a new tab)).
Is there a university in Herford district?
Where Is My Uni?’s catalogue lists no university within Herford district. Nearby options include Bielefeld University, HSBI, FHM and Fachhochschule der Diakonie in Bielefeld.
How do I get from Herford to Bielefeld University?
Take a direct train from Herford to Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof, then Stadtbahn line 4 towards the Universität stop. DB’s checked train examples take 6–17 minutes, and the university gives about seven minutes for the Stadtbahn leg; add transfer and walking time (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab), Bielefeld University (opens in a new tab)).
Is Herford expensive for students?
There is no verified student-specific monthly budget for the district. Herford’s 2025 rent table gives mean cold rents of €7.18–€10.72 per square metre across building-age categories for apartments up to 40 m², before adjustments and running costs; this is not a shared-room price (official rent table (opens in a new tab)).
What jobs can students find in Herford district?
Verified routes include Hettich’s working-student and internship opportunities, restaurant service at FÖGE, and kitchen or service work at Gourmet World Herford. Availability changes, so use the employers’ careers pages (Hettich (opens in a new tab), FÖGE (opens in a new tab), Gourmet World (opens in a new tab)).
Are there Studierendenwerk residences in Herford district?
No Herford-district residence appears in the checked Studierendenwerk Bielefeld directory, which lists locations in Bielefeld, Detmold and Minden. For housing within Herford district, start with private rentals and local housing providers (residence directory (opens in a new tab), WWS Herford (opens in a new tab)).
More guides
Sources & photo credits
Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Herford district background (opens in a new tab)
- City of Herford — official Mietspiegel information (opens in a new tab)
- Herford Mietspiegel 2025 — city publication hosted by Mieterbund OWL (opens in a new tab)
- WWS Herford — apartment offers (opens in a new tab)
- WG-Gesucht — Herford housing search (opens in a new tab)
- Studierendenwerk Bielefeld — residence directory (opens in a new tab)
- Bielefeld University — semester contribution (opens in a new tab)
- Bielefeld University — travel directions (opens in a new tab)
- Deutsche Bahn — Herford to Bielefeld (opens in a new tab)
- WestfalenTarif — Deutschlandticket (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia — district transport network (opens in a new tab)
- Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport — access information (opens in a new tab)
- Rome2Rio — airports near Herford (opens in a new tab)
- Hettich — careers and locations (opens in a new tab)
- Hettich — student opportunities (opens in a new tab)
- Hettich — apprenticeships and dual study (opens in a new tab)
- Miele — Bünde plant (opens in a new tab)
- Kreiskliniken Herford-Bünde — hospital group (opens in a new tab)
- Kreiskliniken Herford-Bünde — careers (opens in a new tab)
- FÖGE Herford — careers (opens in a new tab)
- Gourmet World Herford — careers (opens in a new tab)
- Marta Herford — architecture and museum concept (opens in a new tab)
- Teutoburger Wald Tourism — Burg Vlotho (opens in a new tab)
- Teutoburger Wald Tourism — Hücker Moor (opens in a new tab)
- Teutoburger Wald Tourism — regional food (opens in a new tab)
- Herford city marketing — Hoeker-Fest (opens in a new tab)
- City of Bünde — Zwiebelmarkt (opens in a new tab)
- Kreisheimatverein Herford — Low German heritage (opens in a new tab)
- Wikimedia Commons — Herford town hall photograph (opens in a new tab)
- Wikimedia Commons — Marta entrance photograph (opens in a new tab)
- Wikimedia Commons — Hücker Moor aerial photograph (opens in a new tab)
Photo credits
- Herford town hall — Tsungam (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Entrance and exterior of the Marta Herford museum — ludger1961 (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Aerial view of Hücker Moor lake and its surroundings in Spenge — P6G47TG (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0
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