City · Westerwolde, Groningen

Blijham: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Blijham had 2,595 residents. 11.0% of them (285 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the municipality of Westerwolde (13.0%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Germany (3.9%), other Asia (1.9%) and other Europe (1.3%). 47.4% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 1.1 percentage points.

Residents: 2,595 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 11.0% 285 people
Born abroad: 47.4% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +1.1 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

89%

Dutch origin 89.0% 2,310
Migration background 11.0% 285

Largest origin groups

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

Germany

3.9% 100 people

Westerwolde 3.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

1.9% 50 people

Westerwolde 2.5% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

1.3% 35 people

Westerwolde 2.4% Netherlands 5.6%
Indonesia

1.0% 25 people

Westerwolde 0.93% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

0.77% 20 people

Westerwolde 1.3% Netherlands 2.3%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.58% 15 people

Westerwolde 0.49% Netherlands 1.1%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.58% 15 people

Westerwolde 0.67% Netherlands 1.7%
Poland

0.39% 10 people

Westerwolde 0.47% Netherlands 1.4%
Turkey

0.19% 5 people

Westerwolde 0.36% Netherlands 2.6%
Suriname

0.19% 5 people

Westerwolde 0.38% Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

0.0% 0 people

Westerwolde 0.10% Netherlands 2.4%
Belgium

0.0% 0 people

Westerwolde 0.20% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

47% 53%

Born abroad (first generation) 47.4% 135
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 52.6% 150

Men and women

Men: 1,305
Women: 1,290

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Blijham 11.0%

Higher than 38% 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

11.0%

Blijham
Westerwolde
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Blijham	Westerwolde	Netherlands
1998	6.8%	8.1%	16.7%
1999	6.7%	8.2%	17.1%
2000	6.9%	8.3%	17.5%
2001	6.9%	8.8%	18.0%
2002	6.9%	8.7%	18.4%
2003	7.0%	8.7%	18.8%
2004	7.4%	10.0%	19.0%
2005	7.9%	8.9%	19.2%
2006	7.9%	9.8%	19.3%
2007	8.0%	9.2%	19.4%
2008	8.1%	8.5%	19.6%
2009	8.3%	8.3%	19.9%
2010	8.6%	8.8%	20.3%
2011	8.4%	9.8%	20.6%
2012	8.2%	9.7%	20.9%
2013	8.5%	8.9%	21.1%
2014	9.0%	8.8%	21.4%
2015	9.5%	10.8%	21.7%
2016	9.3%	11.7%	22.1%
2017	9.2%	9.9%	22.6%
2018	9.2%	9.4%	23.1%
2019	9.9%	11.4%	23.6%
2020	9.3%	13.0%	24.2%
2021	9.1%	14.3%	24.6%
2022	9.9%	16.3%	26.0%
2023	9.2%	16.2%	27.1%
2024	10.0%	16.5%	27.9%
2025	10.1%	19.6%	28.5%
2026	11.0%	13.0%	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 Blijham

				Largest group
9697 Morige	11.0%	2,595	+1.1 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	2,960	2,755	200	150	45	5	0	5	10	5	125	5	5	15	5	15	0	165	35
1999	2,985	2,780	200	150	50	5	0	0	10	5	130	0	10	10	5	15	10	165	35
2000	3,045	2,840	210	160	55	5	0	5	10	5	135	5	10	10	5	20	5	175	40
2001	3,050	2,840	210	155	50	5	0	5	10	5	135	0	5	15	5	20	0	170	40
2002	3,030	2,825	210	155	55	5	0	5	10	5	140	0	5	10	10	15	5	170	35
2003	3,000	2,785	210	160	50	5	0	5	10	5	140	5	5	10	5	15	5	175	35
2004	2,970	2,755	220	165	55	5	0	5	10	5	145	5	5	10	5	20	5	185	40
2005	2,925	2,700	230	175	55	0	5	5	15	5	140	5	5	25	5	15	5	190	45
2006	2,915	2,685	230	165	55	0	5	5	10	0	135	5	10	15	10	20	5	185	50
2007	2,875	2,645	230	155	80	0	0	5	15	5	130	5	10	10	20	25	10	175	50
2008	2,855	2,630	230	160	75	0	0	5	20	0	135	5	5	15	15	20	15	180	45
2009	2,840	2,600	235	160	75	5	0	5	15	0	140	5	5	10	20	20	10	185	50
2010	2,790	2,550	240	160	80	5	0	5	20	0	140	5	5	10	20	20	10	190	50
2011	2,740	2,510	230	155	75	5	0	10	20	0	135	0	10	10	20	10	10	185	45
2012	2,735	2,510	225	165	60	0	5	10	15	5	135	5	5	20	10	15	0	185	45
2013	2,715	2,480	230	165	60	5	0	10	15	5	125	5	5	30	15	10	0	185	45
2014	2,725	2,480	245	170	75	5	0	10	15	0	130	10	5	25	15	25	5	195	55
2015	2,730	2,470	260	175	85	5	0	10	20	0	130	10	5	30	20	25	5	195	65
2016	2,675	2,425	250	165	80	5	0	10	15	5	125	5	5	30	15	30	0	185	60
2017	2,660	2,415	245	160	85	5	0	10	15	5	120	5	5	30	10	35	5	180	65
2018	2,655	2,410	245	150	100	5	0	10	15	5	115	10	5	20	15	40	10	170	75
2019	2,630	2,370	260	150	110	5	0	10	15	10	115	10	5	20	20	35	15	175	80
2020	2,630	2,385	245	145	95	5	0	10	15	10	110	5	5	25	15	30	10	165	75
2021	2,640	2,400	240	150	95	0	0	10	15	15	110	10	0	30	15	35	5	170	75
2022	2,630	2,365	260	150	115	5	0	5	25	15	110	10	5	30	15	40	15	175	75
2023	2,605	2,365	240	135	105	5	5	5	30	10	95	10	5	25	5	35	10	165	65
2024	2,605	2,350	260	145	115	5	5	5	30	10	100	10	5	30	10	40	15	–	–
2025	2,580	2,320	260	140	120	5	0	5	25	10	100	10	0	30	15	40	15	–	–
2026	2,595	2,310	285	145	140	5	0	5	25	15	100	10	0	35	20	50	15	–	–

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