This statistic displays the population density in the Netherlands from 2007 to 2023 in inhabitants per km². It shows that the population density between 2007 and 2023 increased from 484 to 529 residents per km². The total population in the Netherlands has increased since the 1950s, as this statistic shows. Since 1950, the population nearly doubled, from seven million people to 17.6 million now. As a consequence, the population density also increased. As according to a recent forecast the population of the Netherlands will continue to increase slowly. In 2060 over 18 million people are expected to live in the Netherlands. If no changes in the Dutch territory will take place, the population density will likewise increase.

The population density in the Netherlands was 525.72 people in 2022. In a steady upward trend, the population density rose by 180.97 people from 1961.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Netherlands was reported at 526 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Netherlands - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Netherlands NL: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 508.544 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 505.501 Person/sq km for 2016. Netherlands NL: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 439.837 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 508.544 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 344.749 Person/sq km in 1961. Netherlands NL: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;

Historical dataset showing Netherlands population density by year from 1961 to 2022.

In 2023, there were around 529 inhabitants per square kilometer in the Netherlands. The province of South Holland experienced the highest population density among Dutch provinces with 1,410 inhabitant per square kilometer. Drenthe, on the other hand, experienced the lowest population density with 191 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population growth in The Netherlands by birth, death and migration by sex and region.

In addition to national data, information is presented by group of provinces, province, COROP region and municipality.

The regional totals shown concern cumulated municipal data. Where changes of municipal boundaries transect regional boundaries, the municipal classifications concerns the most recent situation. The municipality of Vianen, for example, was annexed by the province of Utrecht on 1 January 2002, and is classified under the province of Utrecht in the Table.

Data available from: 1942

Status of the figures: All data recorded in this publication are final data. Up to 1977 data may differ from other published data on StatLine. This is due to differences between the data files used by Statistics Netherlands and the official data as published in 'Loop van de bevolking per gemeente'.

Changes as of 9 July 2025: Final figures of 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published? In the 3rd quarter of 2026 figures of 2025 will be added in this table.

Key figures on the population of the Netherlands.

The following information is available: - Population by sex; - Population by marital status; - Population by age (groups); - Population by origin; - Private households; - Persons in institutional households; - Population growth; - Population density.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from: 1950 Figures on population by origin are only available from 2022 at this moment. The periods 1996 through 2021 will be added to the table at a later time.

Status of the figures: All the figures are final.

Changes as of 8 September 2025: Final figures with regard to population growth for 2024 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2025 have been added.

When will new figures be published? In the last quarter of 2026 final figures with regard to population growth for 2025 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2026 will be added.

Historical dataset showing Sint Maarten (Dutch part) population density by year from 2011 to 2022.

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.

Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1km at the equator)

-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population UN adjusted count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel, adjusted to match the country total from the official United Nations population estimates (UN 2019), by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00674

Government city The Hague was the most densely populated city in the Netherlands in 2019, with a population density of nearly ***** people per square kilometer. Perhaps surprisingly, Amsterdam is not the most densely populated city in the country, ranking fourth on the list of most populous cities in the Netherlands in 2019.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for Netherlands including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the Netherlands from 2013 to 2023 and details the percentage of the entire population, living in urban areas. In 2023, 93.18 percent of the total population of the Netherlands lived in cities. Population of the Netherlands The Netherlands is a developed country with a high standard of living. Owing to a fairly steady fertility rate, the total population of the Netherlands has only slightly increased over the past decade. A look at the population growth in the Netherlands shows that growth has been less than 1 percent at some points, and has even decreased to less than 0.5 percent at other intervals over the past few years. Population density in the Netherlands has increased very slightly accordingly, with the majority of the population living in cities, the largest being Amsterdam in terms of residents, closely followed by Rotterdam. The median age of the Netherlands’ population (i.e. one half of the population is older, while the other one is younger) has increased significantly since the 1980s, which is indicative of a high life expectancy among inhabitants. The Netherlands is currently ranked 16th on a ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy worldwide. The Netherlands is also among the countries with the highest GDP in the world, and is thus one of the leading economies. The majority of the workforce is employed in the services sector, generating the majority of gross domestic product. The labor force of the Netherlands consists of more than 8 million employed persons, and the unemployment rate has been increasing since the economic crisis in 2008. The crisis has also been visible in the inflation rate in the Netherlands over the past few years; on the other hand, trade balance figures show that the Dutch economy has been recovering steadily.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for Caribbean Netherlands including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

This table contains key figures about the population of the Netherlands. The following data are distinguished in the table: - Population by sex; - Population by marital status; - Population by age; - Population by origin; - Private households; - Persons in institutional households; - Population growth; - Population density. Statistics Netherlands is switching to a new classification of the population by origin. From now on it is more important where someone was born, and less important where someone's parents were born. The word migration background is no longer used. The main division western/non-western is replaced by a division based on continents and common immigration countries. This classification is gradually being introduced in tables and publications with population by origin. Data available from: 1950 Figures on the population by origin are currently only available for 2022. The periods from 1996 to 2021 will be added to the table at a later date. Status of the figures: All figures in the table are final. Changes March 23, 2023: None, this is a new table. This table is the successor to the discontinued Population table; key figures, 1950-2022. See section 3. The following changes have been made compared to the discontinued table: - The subject folder 'Population by migration background' has been replaced by 'Population by origin'; - The underlying subject folders related to '1st and 2nd generation migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born outside the Netherlands'; - The countries of origin Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey are assigned to continent Asia (was Europe); When will new figures be released? In the second half of 2023, the final figures of population growth for 2022 and the final figures of the population as of 1 January 2023 will be added.

In 2023, Zuid-Holland was the most populated province in the Netherlands, with over 3.8 million inhabitants. That was over 800,000 inhabitants more than runner-up Noord-Holland, the province in which also the capital Amsterdam is located. That year, Amsterdam’s population alone made up 863,000 of Noord-Holland’s nearly three million inhabitants.

 Zuid-Holland   

Zuid-Holland’s largest city is Rotterdam, home to approximately 645,000 people. The third largest city in the Netherlands, Den Haag (or The Hague, as internationals would know it) is also located in Zuid-Holland. The city, which hosts the Dutch government as well as many international organizations, reached a population of roughly 538,000 in 2019.

Utrecht and Eindhoven  

 Completing the top five of the largest cities in the Netherlands are Utrecht and Eindhoven, located in the provinces Utrecht and Noord-Brabant. The city of Utrecht had nearly 353,000 inhabitants in 2019, or roughly one quarter of the entire population of the province bearing the same name. Eindhoven’s population reached nearly 232,000 that year, but as Noord-Brabant boasts two more of the largest cities in the country, Eindhoven plays a less central role in its own province as Utrecht does, despite being home to both Philips and one of the most successful football clubs in Dutch history, PSV Eindhoven.

The 1930 census. Density of the population of each municipality of the Netherlands, in the 9 groups of municipalities, the 11 provinces and the Netherlands total according to the condition of 31 December 1930. The data are derived from Part 1, Tables VII, VIII and IX.

Data available for: 1930

Status of the figures: The data in this table are final.

Changes as of 1 June 2018: None, this table has been discontinued.

When are new figures coming? No longer applicable.

This dashboard highlights where the Rural Rhythm audience lives in the Netherlands. These are middle-aged individuals who embrace the rhythm of rural life, enjoying the simplicity, community, and slower pace of living. They often participate in local activities and take part in community life. Perfect for brands focusing on rural living, local traditions, and simplicity.

Spotzi Global Audience Segments

This demo dataset is part of our premium plans, giving you access to 27 ready-to-use audience segments built from detailed insights into population density, household types, income levels, and age demographics. Designed for global application, these audiences are ideal for powering international marketing campaigns, market entry strategies, and geo-targeted outreach.

With a free Spotzi account, you can explore a selection of audience segments in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Use them to analyze consumer profiles or export these segments — ready to be activated in your next campaign.

All data used for the analysis of the cross-sectional study. Table S3. All data used for the analysis of the experiment. (XLSX 14 kb)

This table establishes a relationship between the municipal classification (the lowest administrative level in the Netherlands) on 1 January 2011 and various subdivisions of the Dutch territory at upper municipal level.

With the information from this table, figures from municipalities can be added together, so that figures can also be calculated at the upper municipal level. The table is composed of: — Nationally covering areas. These areas are usually made up of municipalities that together cover the whole country, for example provinces and COROP areas. — Non-country covering areas. These areas consist of municipalities that together do not cover the whole country, for example urban regions. — Areas classified by size class (based on population) and degree of urbanity (based on environmental address density).

For each municipality, the table shows which areas the municipality is part of. On the other hand, the associated municipalities can be searched for in the regions, provinces and COROP areas. In addition, two statistical data per municipality have been added to the table: population and environmental address density.

Data available for 2011.

Status of the figures: The data is final.

Amendments as of 18 December 2020: None, this table has been discontinued.

When will there be new figures? No longer applicable.