City · Smallingerland, Friesland

Drachten: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Drachten had 46,195 residents. 17.6% of them (8,140 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Smallingerland (15.6%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (5.5%), other Europe (3.1%) and other Africa (2.2%). 57.6% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.9 percentage points.

Residents: 46,195 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 17.6% 8,140 people
Born abroad: 57.6% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.9 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

82% 18%

Dutch origin 82.4% 38,050
Migration background 17.6% 8,140

Largest origin groups

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

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

5.5% 2,535 people

Smallingerland 4.6% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.1% 1,430 people

Smallingerland 3.1% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

2.2% 1,005 people

Smallingerland 1.8% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

1.5% 695 people

Smallingerland 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Germany

1.2% 560 people

Smallingerland 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.0% 470 people

Smallingerland 0.91% Netherlands 1.7%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

1.0% 445 people

Smallingerland 0.80% Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.78% 360 people

Smallingerland 0.69% Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

0.48% 220 people

Smallingerland 0.39% Netherlands 2.4%
Turkey

0.38% 175 people

Smallingerland 0.31% Netherlands 2.6%
Poland

0.35% 160 people

Smallingerland 0.30% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

0.18% 85 people

Smallingerland 0.18% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

58% 43%

Born abroad (first generation) 57.6% 4,685
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 42.5% 3,460

Men and women

Men: 23,070
Women: 23,125

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Drachten 17.6%

Higher than 74% 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

17.6%

Drachten
Smallingerland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Drachten	Smallingerland	Netherlands
1998	9.6%	8.2%	16.7%
1999	10.0%	8.6%	17.1%
2000	10.5%	9.0%	17.5%
2001	11.4%	9.7%	18.0%
2002	11.5%	9.8%	18.4%
2003	11.2%	9.6%	18.8%
2004	11.3%	9.7%	19.0%
2005	11.5%	9.9%	19.2%
2006	11.3%	9.7%	19.3%
2007	11.1%	9.6%	19.4%
2008	11.1%	9.5%	19.6%
2009	11.0%	9.5%	19.9%
2010	11.4%	9.8%	20.3%
2011	11.7%	10.1%	20.6%
2012	11.5%	10.0%	20.9%
2013	11.5%	10.0%	21.1%
2014	11.6%	10.1%	21.4%
2015	11.9%	10.4%	21.7%
2016	11.9%	10.3%	22.1%
2017	12.2%	10.6%	22.6%
2018	12.7%	11.0%	23.1%
2019	12.9%	11.2%	23.6%
2020	13.5%	11.7%	24.2%
2021	13.8%	12.0%	24.6%
2022	14.7%	12.8%	26.0%
2023	15.4%	13.4%	27.1%
2024	16.6%	14.4%	27.9%
2025	17.5%	15.2%	28.5%
2026	17.6%	15.6%	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 Drachten

				Largest group
9203 De Singels, De Bouwen	14.4%	9,885	+3.2 pp	Other Europe
9204 De Drait	12.3%	8,590	+1.5 pp	Other Asia
9201 De Swetten, Noord-Oost	21.3%	8,265	+5.0 pp	Other Asia
9202 De Wiken, De Venen	23.5%	8,225	+3.1 pp	Other Asia
9207 De Folgeren	17.6%	6,590	+3.0 pp	Other Asia
9205 De Trisken	17.7%	4,575	+1.3 pp	Other Asia
9206 De Haven	0.0%	65	−8.3 pp	–

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	41,290	37,330	3,945	1,285	2,665	40	175	270	745	195	585	55	45	605	255	830	155	2,155	1,805
1999	41,550	37,405	4,150	1,325	2,800	50	185	275	750	195	575	50	45	655	240	955	155	2,190	1,960
2000	42,115	37,715	4,410	1,415	2,985	50	185	275	765	250	600	45	55	715	270	1,015	180	2,285	2,110
2001	42,615	37,735	4,870	1,530	3,320	55	195	275	755	270	590	60	70	815	435	1,150	185	2,425	2,455
2002	43,040	38,090	4,945	1,560	3,390	65	200	270	750	310	585	60	60	855	480	1,135	180	2,430	2,520
2003	43,265	38,435	4,825	1,555	3,255	65	190	265	755	320	590	70	65	830	435	1,040	185	2,430	2,400
2004	43,545	38,625	4,920	1,630	3,305	60	185	280	745	325	590	65	65	910	485	1,040	185	2,470	2,445
2005	43,940	38,890	5,040	1,685	3,365	80	200	290	750	315	600	80	55	950	470	1,080	185	2,525	2,515
2006	44,260	39,280	4,985	1,715	3,280	85	185	280	730	315	600	75	70	975	455	1,040	190	2,560	2,425
2007	44,430	39,515	4,915	1,680	3,215	85	175	275	745	320	605	75	85	915	400	1,020	195	2,550	2,365
2008	44,420	39,515	4,915	1,725	3,185	85	175	270	715	320	605	90	85	945	370	1,040	210	2,555	2,365
2009	44,570	39,665	4,900	1,710	3,195	95	170	290	725	340	615	70	85	940	350	1,040	190	2,550	2,350
2010	44,685	39,580	5,110	1,735	3,370	75	165	290	730	345	605	100	80	950	415	1,150	205	2,565	2,540
2011	44,790	39,550	5,245	1,765	3,475	85	180	290	715	340	620	95	75	975	435	1,225	205	2,605	2,645
2012	44,885	39,695	5,175	1,805	3,395	70	175	290	700	340	635	90	80	1,000	420	1,170	230	2,615	2,580
2013	44,880	39,700	5,175	1,835	3,335	70	180	285	685	335	620	95	75	1,045	385	1,165	230	2,620	2,560
2014	44,915	39,705	5,210	1,795	3,410	80	190	280	675	330	615	95	70	1,015	440	1,175	240	2,585	2,625
2015	45,080	39,700	5,380	1,830	3,550	75	195	290	695	335	615	115	70	1,030	525	1,220	215	2,620	2,770
2016	44,960	39,615	5,345	1,815	3,530	85	190	290	680	325	610	115	70	1,020	505	1,205	250	2,590	2,745
2017	45,180	39,675	5,505	1,810	3,695	90	190	305	685	345	605	115	70	1,020	490	1,345	245	2,610	2,905
2018	45,360	39,590	5,770	1,845	3,920	95	200	310	700	360	600	125	70	1,050	570	1,425	260	2,645	3,130
2019	45,410	39,535	5,875	1,840	4,030	105	205	310	695	365	585	135	75	1,045	635	1,425	290	2,635	3,230
2020	45,475	39,330	6,145	1,860	4,280	125	215	310	675	370	585	140	70	1,065	700	1,560	325	2,645	3,505
2021	45,285	39,025	6,260	1,895	4,360	115	200	320	675	370	570	140	75	1,110	770	1,605	305	2,665	3,585
2022	45,065	38,445	6,635	1,845	4,790	115	200	320	700	400	600	150	75	1,015	785	1,855	415	2,650	3,665
2023	45,230	38,255	6,965	2,035	4,930	135	210	320	700	400	595	150	80	1,205	810	1,925	420	2,855	3,805
2024	45,785	38,180	7,600	2,325	5,275	155	225	320	695	415	595	160	90	1,485	890	2,150	420	–	–
2025	46,275	38,165	8,115	2,390	5,725	225	235	330	685	445	585	165	80	1,545	970	2,370	470	–	–
2026	46,195	38,050	8,140	2,245	5,895	175	220	360	695	445	560	160	85	1,430	1,005	2,535	470	–	–

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