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Living in Schmalkalden

Schmalkalden is a city in Germany. A city-level estimate placed average net cold rent at €6.88 per m² per month in June 2026. Schmalkalden had a population of 19,323 at the end of 2024.

Higher unemployment than 74% of German cities that publish it and cleaner air than 87% of German cities that publish it.

Which Germany-wide rules apply when you move to Schmalkalden?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

How much does it cost to rent in Schmalkalden?

Average net cold rent is 6.88 EUR/m² per month (June 2026), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 6.88 EUR/m²/month · miet-check Mietspiegel Schmalkalden23

City-level rent is published below; no city-level cost-of-living basket is published for Schmalkalden yet.

Net rent across major citiesSchmalkalden highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Schmalkalden highlighted€9.94Hamburg€9.72Stuttgart€9.10Augsburg€9.09Mannheim€7.71Berlin€7.20Dresden€6.79Braunschweig€6.72Bielefeld€6.66Duisburg€6.27Leipzig€6.00Dortmund€5.99Halle (Saale)net rent, € / m² / month
MetricValuePeriodSource
Average net rent (nettokalt)6.88 EUR/m²/month4 Jun 2026miet-check Mietspiegel Schmalkalden23Commercial estimate · Supplemental context

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 413 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 6.88 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: June 2026

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 6.18% in May 2022. The regional median gross salary was €3,300 per month at the end of 2024. Regional disposable income was €26,379 per person per year at the end of 2023.

What is the unemployment rate in Schmalkalden?

The unemployment rate is about 6.2 % (May 2022).

  • Unemployment rate: 6.18 % · Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities22
Unemployment across cities in GermanyUnemployment in Schmalkalden is 6.2%. Of 2,973 cities with data, 1,290 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Germany per band801 cities: 2% to under 4%8012–41290 cities: 4% to under 6%12904–6624 cities: 6% to under 8%6246–8Schmalkalden 6.2%228 cities: 8% to under 10%2288–1024 cities: 10% to under 12%2410–124 cities: 12% to under 14%412–142 cities: 14% to under 16%214–16

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fibre-to-the-building availability45.42 %31 Dec 2025Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas4Official
Gigabit broadband availability45.42 %31 Dec 2025Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas4Official
Disposable income per resident26,379 EUR/year31 Dec 2023VGRdL — Kreis economic accounts19Official · district-level figure
GDP per capita32,895 EUR/year31 Dec 2023VGRdL — Kreis economic accounts19Official · district-level figure
Median gross salary (regional)3,300 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich (Wohnort)2Official · district-level figure
Unemployment rate6.18 %country median 5.1%15 May 2022Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities22Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Schmalkalden. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Public employment service

Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Job Search

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Schmalkalden. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital Beds Per 100k838.7 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (Bundesklinik-Atlas)3Official
Physicians per 100,000 residents151.4 per 100,0002024BBSR INKAR — physicians per 100,000 residents (indicator 8102)1Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · district-level figure

Yes — migrants receive medical care in Schmalkalden through valid health insurance.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Hospital Beds Per 100k838.7 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-08-03
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport6 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat15Official
Nearest airportERF13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv16Official
Distance to nearest airport46.2 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv16Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Schmalkalden. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

BAMF Integrationskurse — Integration course

Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)

For eligible migrants.

GermanIn Person

BAMF job-related German courses — Job-related language course

Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)

For migrants needing job-related German.

GermanIn Person
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Schmalkalden.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Schmalkalden?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker)12

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Schmalkalden average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-10°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND23°-3°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Schmalkalden average monthly precipitation, mm020406080544044375962746353515261JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Schmalkalden average monthly sunshine, hours0551101652204574123174201207217203152994133JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Schmalkalden annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.0PM2.5154011.0PM1010405.0NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in GermanyAnnual PM2.5 in Schmalkalden is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 444 cities with data, 155 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Germany per band1 city: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³13–410 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³104–54 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³45–643 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³436–7102 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³1027–8Schmalkalden 7.0155 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³1558–990 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³909–1030 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³3010–115 cities: 11 µg/m³ to under 12 µg/m³511–122 cities: 12 µg/m³ to under 13 µg/m³212–132 cities: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³213–14

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean5 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker)10Official · nearest-station reading
PM10 — annual mean11 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker)11Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5 — annual mean7 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker)12Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 1.8 · Feb 3.2 · Mar 7.8 · Apr 13.2 · May 17.3 · Jun 20.5 · Jul 22.7 · Aug 22.5 · Sep 17.7 · Oct 11.9 · Nov 5.9 · Dec 2.4 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen20Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan -2.9 · Feb -2.8 · Mar 0 · Apr 3.5 · May 7.4 · Jun 10.6 · Jul 12.6 · Aug 12.3 · Sep 8.6 · Oct 4.9 · Nov 1.2 · Dec -1.8 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen20Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan -0.5 · Feb 0.2 · Mar 3.8 · Apr 8.4 · May 12.5 · Jun 15.7 · Jul 17.7 · Aug 17.3 · Sep 13 · Oct 8.2 · Nov 3.5 · Dec 0.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen20Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 53.5 · Feb 39.5 · Mar 44 · Apr 36.8 · May 59 · Jun 62 · Jul 73.8 · Aug 62.6 · Sep 52.8 · Oct 51.3 · Nov 52.4 · Dec 60.6 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen20Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 44.8 · Feb 73.8 · Mar 122.5 · Apr 173.8 · May 200.9 · Jun 206.5 · Jul 216.7 · Aug 202.9 · Sep 151.9 · Oct 99 · Nov 40.8 · Dec 33 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen20Official · nearest-station reading
Annual mean temperature8.4 °C31 Dec 2020DWD Climate Data Center — Klimanormal 1991-2020, Jahresmittel Lufttemperatur 2m (1×1 km Raster)9Official · land

Cities of a similar size in Germany

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Germany cities

Population and city profile

The city covered 105.4 km² in 2024. Population density was 183.4 people per km² in 2024.

How many people live in Schmalkalden?

The published population was 19,323 people in 2024. Source: Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis7

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Schmalkalden residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport88.6%Foreign residents11.4%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents569 cars/1000 residents1 Jan 2026Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality13Official
City area105.4 km²31 Dec 2024Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis7Official
Foreign residents2,197 people15 May 2022Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities21Official
Population density183.4 people/km²31 Dec 2024Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row.14Official
Population19,323 people31 Dec 2024Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis7Official

People and communities

MetricValuePeriodSource
Catholic residents615 people31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official
Catholic share3.2 %31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official
No religion or other13,026 people31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official
No religion or other, share68.7 %31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official
Protestant residents5,324 people31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official
Protestant share28.1 %31 Dec 2022Destatis5Official

International community in Schmalkalden

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons · 2022-05-15

Published groupPeopleShare
Total18,968100.0%
Germany16,40186.5%
Ukraine2461.3%
Romania2431.3%
Poland2371.2%
Syrian Arab Republic1680.9%
Czech Republic1470.8%
India1400.7%
Bulgaria1360.7%
Russian Federation1100.6%
Tunisia920.5%
Show 76 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Viet Nam850.4%
Kazakhstan750.4%
Afghanistan480.3%
China460.2%
Slovenia450.2%
Iraq450.2%
Turkey350.2%
Mexico340.2%
Eritrea300.2%
Bangladesh290.2%
Malaysia290.2%
Pakistan280.1%
Italy250.1%
Iran, Islamic Republic of210.1%
Greece200.1%
Spain200.1%
Jordan200.1%
Hungary180.1%
Brazil180.1%
France160.1%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of160.1%
Azerbaijan150.1%
Albania140.1%
Morocco140.1%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of140.1%
Moldova, Republic of130.1%
Austria130.1%
Egypt130.1%
Tajikistan130.1%
Serbia110.1%
Slovakia100.1%
Thailand100.1%
Netherlands90.0%
Colombia90.0%
Saudi Arabia90.0%
Uzbekistan90.0%
Kosovo80.0%
Cuba80.0%
United States80.0%
Indonesia80.0%
Palestinian territories80.0%
Croatia70.0%
Lithuania70.0%
Mauritania70.0%
Cameroon70.0%
Belarus60.0%
Ghana60.0%
Switzerland50.0%
Argentina50.0%
Chile50.0%
Canada50.0%
Philippines50.0%
Not stated50.0%
United Kingdom40.0%
Algeria40.0%
Finland30.0%
Portugal30.0%
Nigeria30.0%
Gambia30.0%
Libya30.0%
Guinea30.0%
Somalia30.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of30.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of30.0%
Peru30.0%
Armenia30.0%
Georgia30.0%
Lao People'S Democratic Republic30.0%
Kyrgyzstan30.0%
Lebanon30.0%
Taiwan, Province of China30.0%
Korea, Republic of30.0%
United Arab Emirates30.0%
Turkmenistan30.0%
Australia30.0%
Papua New Guinea30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18

Citizenship

Persons · 2022-05-15

Published groupPeopleShare
Total18,968100.0%
Germany16,76688.4%
Romania2681.4%
Ukraine2421.3%
Syrian Arab Republic1851.0%
India1460.8%
Bulgaria1420.7%
Poland1360.7%
Tunisia970.5%
Viet Nam890.5%
Afghanistan700.4%
Show 69 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Russian Federation600.3%
Iraq480.3%
China480.3%
Kazakhstan380.2%
Turkey350.2%
Eritrea320.2%
Pakistan320.2%
Bangladesh290.2%
Italy270.1%
Czech Republic270.1%
Malaysia250.1%
Mexico240.1%
Spain200.1%
Morocco170.1%
Brazil170.1%
Jordan170.1%
Hungary160.1%
Serbia160.1%
Albania150.1%
France150.1%
Greece140.1%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of120.1%
Thailand120.1%
United States110.1%
Azerbaijan110.1%
Tajikistan110.1%
Kosovo100.1%
Slovakia100.1%
Egypt90.0%
Iran, Islamic Republic of90.0%
Uncertain90.0%
Croatia70.0%
Mauritania70.0%
Cameroon70.0%
Cuba70.0%
Uzbekistan70.0%
Lithuania60.0%
Moldova, Republic of60.0%
Ghana60.0%
Colombia60.0%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of60.0%
Palestinian territories60.0%
Canada50.0%
Netherlands40.0%
Austria40.0%
Portugal40.0%
Indonesia40.0%
Finland30.0%
Norway30.0%
Switzerland30.0%
United Kingdom30.0%
Belarus30.0%
Algeria30.0%
Nigeria30.0%
Gambia30.0%
Guinea30.0%
Somalia30.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of30.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of30.0%
Chile30.0%
Armenia30.0%
Georgia30.0%
Lao People'S Democratic Republic30.0%
Kyrgyzstan30.0%
Nepal30.0%
Taiwan, Province of China30.0%
Korea, Republic of30.0%
Turkmenistan30.0%
Stateless30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source17

Is Schmalkalden a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker45%strong on work, weak on safety · range 35–55%
Skilled employee52%strong on work, weak on safety · range 42–62%
Student51%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 40–62%
Family50%strong on family, weak on safety · range 39–61%
Retirement52%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 39–65%
Foreign residents2,197 people15 May 2022Official source · Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities
Population19,323 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis
Average net rent (nettokalt)6.88 EUR/m²/month4 Jun 2026Commercial source · miet-check Mietspiegel Schmalkalden
Fibre-to-the-building availability45.42 %31 Dec 2025Official source · Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas
Gigabit broadband availability45.42 %31 Dec 2025Official source · Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas
Disposable income per resident26,379 EUR/year31 Dec 2023Official source · VGRdL — Kreis economic accounts
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Childcare coverage, ages 3–698.4 %1 Mar 2025Destatis — Kindertagesbetreuung regional6Official · district-level figure
Childcare coverage, under 357.9 %1 Mar 2025Destatis — Kindertagesbetreuung regional6Official · district-level figure
Local business-tax multiplier400 %31 Dec 2024Destatis Realsteuervergleich8Official
Local property-tax multiplier389 %31 Dec 2024Destatis Realsteuervergleich8Official

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Schmalkalden?

The published population was 19,323 people in 2024. Source: Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis.

How much does it cost to rent in Schmalkalden?

Average net cold rent is 6.88 EUR/m² per month (June 2026), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 482 EUR a month before utilities. Source: miet-check Mietspiegel Schmalkalden.

Is the air quality good in Schmalkalden?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker).

What is the unemployment rate in Schmalkalden?

The unemployment rate is about 6.2 % (May 2022). Source: Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities.

What is the typical salary around Schmalkalden?

The median gross salary is 3,300 EUR/month. Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich (Wohnort).

How many foreign residents live in Schmalkalden?

2,197 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities.

Is Schmalkalden a good place to live?

Schmalkalden may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Total live in Schmalkalden?

The official country of birth distribution records 18,968 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2022-05-15. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Schmalkalden, Germany: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/schmalkalden/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_schmalkalden-germany-rent-salary-jobs_0903de7b6704,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Schmalkalden, Germany: rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/schmalkalden/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Schmalkalden, Germany: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/schmalkalden/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. All recorded crimes per 100,000 residents in the BBSR/PKS Kreis indicator. inkar.de · checked 2026-07-16
  2. Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich (Wohnort) Bundesagentur für Arbeit · statistik.arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-07-14
  3. Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (Bundesklinik-Atlas) bundes-klinik-atlas.de · checked 2026-08-03
  4. Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV · gigabitgrundbuch.bund.de · checked 2026-07-14
  5. Destatis destatis.de · checked 2026-08-08
  6. Destatis — Kindertagesbetreuung regional Destatis · destatis.de · checked 2026-07-14
  7. Destatis Gemeindeverzeichnis destatis.de · checked 2026-07-14
  8. Destatis Realsteuervergleich destatis.de · checked 2026-07-14
  9. DWD Climate Data Center — Klimanormal 1991-2020, Jahresmittel Lufttemperatur 2m (1×1 km Raster) DWD Climate Data Center · opendata.dwd.de · checked 2026-06-05
  10. EEA air quality statistics — DE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
Show 13 more sources
  1. EEA air quality statistics — DE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  2. EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Dreißigacker) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  3. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt · kba.de · checked 2026-07-14
  4. Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row. destatis.de · checked 2024-12-31
  5. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  6. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  7. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany citizenship distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  8. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany country_of_birth distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  9. VGRdL — Kreis economic accounts VGRdL · statistikportal.de · checked 2026-07-14
  10. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Meiningen WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  11. Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities Zensus 2022 regional tables · destatis.de · checked 2026-07-26
  12. Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities Zensus 2022 regional tables · destatis.de · checked 2026-07-26
  13. miet-check Mietspiegel Schmalkalden miet-check.de · checked 2026-06-04

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.