Waddinxveen, Blaricum attracting most new residents

Of all Dutch municipalities, Waddinxveen and Blaricum experienced the strongest growth due to domestic relocations in the past years. On balance, they each got over 70 newly established residents per thousand inhabitants, NOS reports based on figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Between 2017 and 2020, the most recent CBS figures, over 2 million people moved from one Dutch municipality to another. In absolute numbers, the large cities attracted the most new residents, with Amsterdam taking the lead. But the capital also had many people move away. And then Amsterdam is near the bottom of the list with a migration balance of minus 26,000. Waddinxveen in Zuid-Holland tops the list with a positive balance of 2,165 new residents due to domestic relocations.

Looked at based on the size of the municipalities, Waddinxveen is also on top of the list with over 70 new residents per 1,000 inhabitants. Blaricum is in close second place. Many new houses were built in these two municipalities over the past years, attracting home seekers from elsewhere.

The municipalities that saw the largest exodus on balance are a mixed group. Amstelveen, Maastricht, Delft, and Groningen - municipalities with many students - are high on the list. As are Noordenveld, Cranendonck, and Noordoostpolder. They have or had an asylum seekers’ shelter on their territory, from which many people have moved to homes elsewhere, according to the broadcaster. 

NOS also looked specifically at relocations of people aged 50 and older. Some 320,000 of these usually empty-nesters have relocated within the Netherlands between 2017 and 2020. In absolute numbers, Goeree-Overflakkee aged the most with 520 new older residents. But per 1,000 residents, the municipality is outstripped by Laren, Westerveld, Noord-Beveland, and Schiermonnikoog. These are mainly isolated islands or municipalities surrounded by lots of nature. 

On a provincial level, older residents also opted for the quieter provinces of Gelderland, Drenthe, and Zeeland. Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and - to a lesser extent - Utrecht saw older residents leave en masse. 

When looking at the provincial relocations of all ages, Utrecht has more incoming than outgoing movers. So the departing older residents are amply compensated by younger newcomers. That also applies to Noord-Brabant. Noord-Holland saw the most departures, almost all due to Amsterdam.