City · Friesland

Harlingen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Harlingen had 15,155 residents. 15.8% of them (2,395 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is about the same as the municipality of Harlingen (15.6%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (3.5%), other Asia (3.4%) and Germany (2.1%). 58.0% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 1.8 percentage points.

Residents: 15,155 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 15.8% 2,395 people
Born abroad: 58.0% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +1.8 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

84% 16%

Dutch origin 84.2% 12,765
Migration background 15.8% 2,395

Largest origin groups

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

Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.5% 535 people

Municipality of Harlingen 3.6% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.4% 520 people

Municipality of Harlingen 3.3% Netherlands 5.3%
Germany

2.1% 325 people

Municipality of Harlingen 2.2% Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.5% 230 people

Municipality of Harlingen 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.1% 165 people

Municipality of Harlingen 1.0% Netherlands 2.3%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.1% 165 people

Municipality of Harlingen 1.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Poland

0.79% 120 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.77% Netherlands 1.4%
Suriname

0.66% 100 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.61% Netherlands 2.0%
Turkey

0.59% 90 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.55% Netherlands 2.6%
Morocco

0.46% 70 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.46% Netherlands 2.4%
Belgium

0.30% 45 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.28% Netherlands 0.76%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.23% 35 people

Municipality of Harlingen 0.22% Netherlands 1.1%

First and second generation

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

58% 42%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.0% 1,390
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.8% 1,000

Men and women

Men: 7,555
Women: 7,605

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Harlingen 15.8%

Higher than 67% 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

15.8%

Harlingen
Municipality of Harlingen
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Harlingen	Municipality of Harlingen	Netherlands
1998	11.4%	11.1%	16.7%
1999	11.9%	11.6%	17.1%
2000	12.4%	12.1%	17.5%
2001	12.8%	12.5%	18.0%
2002	12.9%	12.5%	18.4%
2003	13.0%	12.6%	18.8%
2004	13.8%	13.3%	19.0%
2005	13.7%	13.3%	19.2%
2006	11.9%	11.6%	19.3%
2007	11.2%	10.9%	19.4%
2008	11.3%	11.1%	19.6%
2009	11.3%	11.1%	19.9%
2010	11.5%	11.3%	20.3%
2011	11.6%	11.4%	20.6%
2012	11.5%	11.4%	20.9%
2013	11.7%	11.6%	21.1%
2014	11.7%	11.6%	21.4%
2015	11.9%	11.8%	21.7%
2016	12.1%	12.0%	22.1%
2017	12.1%	12.0%	22.6%
2018	12.2%	12.1%	23.1%
2019	12.3%	12.2%	23.6%
2020	12.5%	12.4%	24.2%
2021	12.8%	12.7%	24.6%
2022	14.0%	13.8%	26.0%
2023	14.9%	14.7%	27.1%
2024	15.4%	15.1%	27.9%
2025	15.5%	15.2%	28.5%
2026	15.8%	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 Harlingen

				Largest group
8862 Oosterpark	16.3%	8,705	+0.8 pp	Other Asia
8861 Midlum	15.2%	6,450	+3.0 pp	Other Europe

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	14,130	12,525	1,615	715	910	55	185	65	280	20	365	35	35	280	105	135	65	1,030	580
1999	14,230	12,535	1,695	710	990	60	165	70	280	25	350	35	35	290	115	220	55	1,025	665
2000	14,230	12,465	1,770	790	985	55	140	65	275	20	355	40	35	360	140	210	80	1,110	660
2001	14,260	12,440	1,830	815	1,010	60	140	60	265	25	340	35	35	405	125	255	80	1,130	700
2002	14,360	12,515	1,855	815	1,030	55	145	60	275	25	335	40	35	405	165	230	75	1,130	720
2003	14,385	12,510	1,875	790	1,085	55	130	65	270	30	325	40	25	400	200	255	80	1,100	770
2004	14,615	12,600	2,010	875	1,130	55	125	70	260	25	340	40	25	470	220	285	90	1,185	835
2005	14,755	12,720	2,025	915	1,110	55	135	65	265	30	345	40	30	500	190	285	85	1,225	805
2006	14,425	12,710	1,720	800	925	55	125	70	255	25	345	45	30	380	125	180	90	1,100	620
2007	14,255	12,665	1,590	770	815	50	120	60	250	25	350	45	25	350	85	130	95	1,060	525
2008	14,375	12,760	1,620	785	820	55	120	65	250	25	355	50	25	355	85	140	80	1,075	545
2009	14,510	12,885	1,635	815	825	50	105	65	250	25	355	55	25	380	85	160	85	1,095	530
2010	14,650	12,980	1,680	840	845	45	105	75	255	25	365	60	25	390	90	150	100	1,135	540
2011	14,705	13,000	1,705	835	860	55	105	80	245	25	365	65	30	375	95	160	95	1,130	575
2012	14,690	12,995	1,695	840	860	50	90	80	250	15	350	60	35	395	105	165	105	1,120	575
2013	14,715	13,005	1,715	820	895	55	100	85	245	20	350	65	35	370	110	190	90	1,110	610
2014	14,700	12,975	1,725	840	885	50	90	85	250	25	335	75	35	395	110	195	80	1,125	605
2015	14,660	12,910	1,750	845	905	50	90	90	245	15	330	85	35	395	110	205	100	1,130	620
2016	14,695	12,920	1,775	855	925	45	95	100	245	20	325	80	35	415	110	215	95	1,130	645
2017	14,730	12,955	1,775	845	935	50	95	90	235	15	325	80	35	405	110	235	105	1,115	655
2018	14,670	12,880	1,790	845	945	50	100	85	230	15	330	85	35	395	100	270	95	1,110	675
2019	14,665	12,865	1,800	835	960	50	85	80	230	20	320	85	40	390	125	270	100	1,110	695
2020	14,650	12,825	1,825	830	995	55	90	85	220	25	325	95	40	370	110	305	105	1,095	730
2021	14,725	12,840	1,885	865	1,015	55	90	80	225	30	325	100	45	395	120	305	110	1,145	735
2022	14,825	12,745	2,075	935	1,140	65	85	90	235	40	330	115	50	445	125	345	145	1,195	780
2023	15,100	12,855	2,255	1,085	1,175	75	80	90	235	35	340	125	50	570	140	370	150	1,335	825
2024	15,150	12,815	2,335	1,065	1,275	85	80	90	230	30	330	125	50	560	155	445	155	–	–
2025	15,110	12,775	2,335	1,030	1,310	85	75	95	225	35	325	125	50	525	165	475	155	–	–
2026	15,155	12,765	2,395	1,020	1,370	90	70	100	230	35	325	120	45	535	165	520	165	–	–

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