Dutch population growth slowing down as European immigration declines

The Dutch population grew by almost 80,000 people in the first three quarters of 2025. This growth is less strong than in the same period last year, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The growth is entirely due to migration, as deaths still outnumber births.

At the end of September, the Netherlands had just over 18 million inhabitants. In the first nine months, almost 250,000 immigrants arrived in the country, while more than 160,000 people left. A year earlier, approximately 200,000 people left, and over 300,000 arrived.

The declining growth is mainly due to a decrease in migration from other European countries. Fewer people from Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania settled in the Netherlands, while more left.

In the first nine months of this year, 4,000 more people died than were born. A year earlier, this number was 3,000.