City · Venlo, Limburg

Arcen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Arcen had 2,910 residents. 19.6% of them (570 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the municipality of Venlo (33.8%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Germany (9.3%), other Europe (2.9%) and Poland (2.1%). 51.8% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 1.5 percentage points.

Residents: 2,910 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 19.6% 570 people
Born abroad: 51.8% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +1.5 pp in share with a migration background

Migration background, share of residents

Share of residents with a migration background per postcode.

Where residents come from

Origin of residents on 1 January 2026, as a share of all residents.

Dutch origin and migration background

80% 20%

Dutch origin 80.4% 2,340
Migration background 19.6% 570

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Arcen. For comparison, the line marks Municipality of Venlo and the circle the Netherlands.

Germany

9.3% 270 people

Municipality of Venlo 5.9% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

2.9% 85 people

Municipality of Venlo 6.0% Netherlands 5.6%
Poland

2.1% 60 people

Municipality of Venlo 4.8% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

1.2% 35 people

Municipality of Venlo 4.8% Netherlands 5.3%
Indonesia

1.0% 30 people

Municipality of Venlo 1.7% Netherlands 1.9%
Belgium

0.86% 25 people

Municipality of Venlo 0.56% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

0.69% 20 people

Municipality of Venlo 1.2% Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

0.52% 15 people

Municipality of Venlo 4.1% Netherlands 2.6%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.52% 15 people

Municipality of Venlo 0.83% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.34% 10 people

Municipality of Venlo 0.52% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.34% 10 people

Municipality of Venlo 0.43% Netherlands 1.1%
Morocco

0.17% 5 people

Municipality of Venlo 3.0% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

Residents with a migration background, by whether they were born abroad themselves.

52% 48%

Born abroad (first generation) 51.8% 295
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 48.2% 275

Men and women

Men: 1,445
Women: 1,465

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Arcen 19.6%

Higher than 80% of all cities in the Netherlands

Trend since 1998

Share of residents with a migration background, compared with larger areas.

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

19.6%

Arcen
Municipality of Venlo
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Arcen	Municipality of Venlo	Netherlands
1998	18.1%	22.1%	16.7%
1999	18.3%	22.4%	17.1%
2000	18.4%	22.7%	17.5%
2001	18.8%	23.1%	18.0%
2002	19.1%	23.6%	18.4%
2003	18.8%	23.9%	18.8%
2004	18.6%	24.3%	19.0%
2005	18.1%	24.4%	19.2%
2006	18.0%	24.6%	19.3%
2007	17.9%	24.8%	19.4%
2008	17.3%	24.9%	19.6%
2009	17.1%	24.9%	19.9%
2010	16.9%	25.3%	20.3%
2011	16.5%	25.4%	20.6%
2012	16.6%	25.8%	20.9%
2013	16.9%	26.1%	21.1%
2014	17.1%	26.5%	21.4%
2015	18.3%	26.8%	21.7%
2016	16.9%	26.8%	22.1%
2017	17.5%	27.5%	22.6%
2018	17.4%	27.8%	23.1%
2019	17.9%	28.4%	23.6%
2020	18.1%	28.9%	24.2%
2021	17.7%	29.5%	24.6%
2022	18.1%	30.6%	26.0%
2023	21.4%	31.8%	27.1%
2024	21.1%	32.6%	27.9%
2025	18.9%	33.3%	28.5%
2026	19.6%	33.8%	29.1%

In 2022 CBS switched to a new origin classification. Up to 2021 the line shows the old “migration background” figures; the overlap years show a small break (about +0.8 points nationally).

Postcodes in Arcen

				Largest group
5944 Arcen	19.6%	2,910	+1.5 pp	Germany

All figures

Number of residents per origin group on 1 January. Figures up to 2021 use the old CBS classification.

Year	Total residents	Dutch origin	Migration background	Europe	Outside Europe	Turkey	Morocco	Suriname	Indonesia	Dutch Caribbean	Germany	Poland	Belgium	Other Europe	Other Africa	Other Asia	Other Americas & Oceania	Western migration background	Non-Western migration background
1998	2,570	2,105	465	430	40	0	0	5	15	0	380	5	10	35	0	15	5	455	15
1999	2,565	2,095	470	420	50	0	0	0	20	0	375	5	10	30	0	20	10	445	25
2000	2,585	2,105	475	425	55	0	0	0	15	0	370	5	10	40	5	25	10	445	30
2001	2,575	2,085	485	430	50	0	0	5	15	5	370	10	10	40	0	25	0	455	40
2002	2,585	2,090	495	425	70	5	0	0	15	0	370	10	10	35	5	35	10	450	40
2003	2,585	2,100	485	420	60	0	0	0	15	0	365	15	10	30	5	30	10	445	35
2004	2,575	2,095	480	405	75	0	0	5	20	0	355	10	5	35	10	30	10	430	45
2005	2,575	2,105	465	395	75	5	0	0	20	0	350	5	5	35	5	30	15	425	45
2006	2,590	2,125	465	395	65	0	5	5	20	0	345	10	10	30	5	20	10	420	40
2007	2,575	2,120	460	395	65	0	0	0	20	0	340	10	10	35	10	25	10	420	35
2008	2,545	2,110	440	390	50	0	0	5	20	0	340	10	5	35	5	10	10	415	20
2009	2,520	2,095	430	385	50	0	0	5	20	0	335	10	10	30	0	15	10	405	25
2010	2,520	2,090	425	380	45	0	0	0	20	0	325	15	5	35	0	15	10	405	25
2011	2,490	2,080	410	365	45	5	0	5	15	5	315	10	10	30	5	10	0	385	25
2012	2,445	2,035	405	360	45	0	0	5	15	0	310	10	10	30	5	15	5	380	25
2013	2,460	2,045	415	360	60	0	5	5	15	5	300	15	10	35	5	15	10	380	35
2014	2,510	2,080	430	375	50	0	0	5	20	5	305	20	10	40	5	10	5	395	35
2015	2,520	2,060	460	400	60	0	5	0	20	0	295	55	10	40	0	20	15	425	35
2016	2,480	2,060	420	360	60	0	5	0	15	5	285	25	10	40	5	25	5	380	40
2017	2,545	2,100	445	365	75	0	5	5	20	0	280	30	15	40	10	30	5	390	55
2018	2,525	2,085	440	365	75	0	5	5	15	0	270	40	15	40	10	30	10	385	55
2019	2,575	2,115	460	380	80	0	5	5	15	0	270	45	15	50	15	30	10	400	60
2020	2,630	2,155	475	395	75	0	10	0	20	0	265	55	15	60	10	25	10	415	55
2021	2,690	2,215	475	395	85	5	5	0	25	0	255	50	20	70	15	20	15	420	55
2022	2,760	2,260	500	405	95	5	10	5	30	0	265	50	20	65	20	25	10	435	55
2023	2,950	2,320	630	520	105	10	5	5	25	0	270	45	20	185	15	30	15	550	65
2024	2,985	2,350	630	530	105	10	5	5	25	0	270	40	25	190	15	25	15	–	–
2025	2,905	2,355	550	430	120	15	5	5	25	10	270	55	25	80	20	30	15	–	–
2026	2,910	2,340	570	435	135	15	5	10	30	10	270	60	25	85	20	35	15	–	–

Definitions and method · CBS 85640NED (2022–2026), 83503NED (1998–2023)