City · Limburg

Heerlen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Heerlen had 69,025 residents. 34.7% of them (23,935 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 Heerlen (33.7%) and higher than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Germany (7.0%), other Europe (6.0%) and other Asia (5.6%). 54.8% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 3.1 percentage points.

Residents: 69,025 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 34.7% 23,935 people
Born abroad: 54.8% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +3.1 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

65% 35%

Dutch origin 65.3% 45,100
Migration background 34.7% 23,935

Largest origin groups

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

Germany

7.0% 4,860 people

Municipality of Heerlen 7.0% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

6.0% 4,175 people

Municipality of Heerlen 5.9% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

5.6% 3,850 people

Municipality of Heerlen 5.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Morocco

3.0% 2,080 people

Municipality of Heerlen 2.9% Netherlands 2.4%
Indonesia

2.6% 1,770 people

Municipality of Heerlen 2.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

2.5% 1,700 people

Municipality of Heerlen 2.3% Netherlands 2.3%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

1.8% 1,255 people

Municipality of Heerlen 1.9% Netherlands 1.1%
Poland

1.8% 1,255 people

Municipality of Heerlen 1.9% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

1.4% 990 people

Municipality of Heerlen 1.4% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.4% 935 people

Municipality of Heerlen 1.3% Netherlands 1.7%
Turkey

1.0% 685 people

Municipality of Heerlen 0.87% Netherlands 2.6%
Suriname

0.51% 350 people

Municipality of Heerlen 0.51% Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

55% 45%

Born abroad (first generation) 54.8% 13,110
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 45.2% 10,825

Men and women

Men: 34,445
Women: 34,590

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Heerlen 34.7%

Higher than 96% 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

34.7%

Heerlen
Municipality of Heerlen
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Heerlen	Municipality of Heerlen	Netherlands
1998	27.2%	26.7%	16.7%
1999	27.3%	26.8%	17.1%
2000	27.4%	26.9%	17.5%
2001	27.6%	27.0%	18.0%
2002	28.0%	27.4%	18.4%
2003	28.0%	27.4%	18.8%
2004	28.3%	27.5%	19.0%
2005	28.3%	27.5%	19.2%
2006	28.2%	27.5%	19.3%
2007	28.2%	27.4%	19.4%
2008	28.1%	27.3%	19.6%
2009	28.2%	27.5%	19.9%
2010	28.3%	27.5%	20.3%
2011	28.1%	27.4%	20.6%
2012	28.2%	27.5%	20.9%
2013	28.4%	27.6%	21.1%
2014	28.6%	27.7%	21.4%
2015	28.5%	27.6%	21.7%
2016	28.7%	27.9%	22.1%
2017	29.0%	28.1%	22.6%
2018	29.2%	28.3%	23.1%
2019	29.6%	28.6%	23.6%
2020	30.1%	29.1%	24.2%
2021	30.4%	29.5%	24.6%
2022	31.6%	30.7%	26.0%
2023	32.2%	31.4%	27.1%
2024	33.1%	32.2%	27.9%
2025	33.8%	32.8%	28.5%
2026	34.7%	33.7%	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 Heerlen

				Largest group
6413 Heerlerheide - Passart, Rennemig - Beersdal	34.5%	11,230	+3.6 pp	Germany
6418 Heerlerbaan - Schil, Heerlerbaan - Centrum	26.7%	9,425	+1.5 pp	Germany
6412 Schandelen - Grasbroek, Zeswegen-Nieuw Husken	44.6%	8,900	+4.0 pp	Other Europe
6411 Centrum	39.3%	8,285	+5.0 pp	Other Europe
6414 Vrieheide - De Stack, Heksenberg	38.2%	7,455	+3.0 pp	Other Europe
6417 Caumerveld-Douve Weien, Bekkerveld - Aarveld	23.2%	6,715	+1.1 pp	Germany
6415 Meezenbroek-Schaesbergerveld	39.8%	6,440	+3.1 pp	Other Asia
6416 Molenberg	34.7%	6,080	+3.5 pp	Germany
6419 Welten-Benzenrade	27.6%	4,415	+3.3 pp	Germany
6422 De Beitel	14.3%	70	+14.3 pp	Poland
6421 Vrieheide - De Stack	0.0%	10	±0.0 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	73,440	53,470	19,980	13,075	6,900	380	1,395	310	2,520	410	9,155	655	1,125	2,145	610	835	440	15,880	4,100
1999	73,285	53,265	20,010	12,975	7,030	375	1,440	305	2,540	435	9,050	640	1,125	2,165	600	890	445	15,770	4,245
2000	73,180	53,105	20,080	12,920	7,165	405	1,495	305	2,495	475	8,870	630	1,120	2,305	615	960	420	15,665	4,420
2001	73,285	53,010	20,250	12,885	7,370	425	1,545	300	2,465	495	8,685	635	1,135	2,430	710	990	440	15,630	4,635
2002	73,275	52,750	20,505	12,825	7,695	470	1,635	325	2,445	510	8,485	655	1,150	2,540	770	1,090	455	15,525	4,975
2003	72,475	52,165	20,315	12,605	7,705	465	1,665	305	2,390	500	8,310	630	1,130	2,535	825	1,080	475	15,270	5,050
2004	72,200	51,760	20,430	12,430	8,010	505	1,740	315	2,365	510	8,085	650	1,085	2,610	885	1,210	480	15,065	5,365
2005	71,490	51,240	20,250	12,195	8,075	525	1,790	315	2,345	510	7,885	660	1,075	2,575	910	1,205	475	14,830	5,410
2006	70,625	50,665	19,950	11,890	8,045	515	1,840	295	2,335	505	7,640	640	1,055	2,560	875	1,220	460	14,490	5,460
2007	69,965	50,230	19,740	11,710	8,045	530	1,820	295	2,290	520	7,490	640	1,035	2,550	895	1,240	455	14,250	5,505
2008	69,370	49,885	19,485	11,485	8,000	520	1,825	290	2,195	505	7,270	675	1,010	2,530	890	1,320	455	13,965	5,520
2009	69,060	49,600	19,455	11,275	8,180	520	1,840	285	2,200	525	7,090	685	995	2,505	980	1,355	475	13,755	5,695
2010	68,960	49,465	19,520	11,245	8,240	515	1,870	290	2,170	530	7,010	695	1,010	2,530	965	1,390	510	13,705	5,795
2011	68,940	49,540	19,395	11,115	8,275	525	1,865	310	2,175	540	6,845	700	995	2,580	940	1,420	500	13,575	5,850
2012	68,940	49,480	19,455	11,060	8,375	530	1,865	300	2,160	580	6,730	720	1,005	2,615	980	1,470	490	13,470	5,975
2013	68,785	49,280	19,505	11,005	8,515	535	1,900	310	2,145	560	6,570	770	1,020	2,650	980	1,585	500	13,425	6,085
2014	68,610	49,005	19,605	10,920	8,685	530	1,925	320	2,110	580	6,425	760	1,010	2,725	1,060	1,630	530	13,285	6,315
2015	68,180	48,745	19,435	10,750	8,685	535	1,930	305	2,065	570	6,290	760	975	2,725	1,055	1,670	555	13,090	6,340
2016	68,050	48,550	19,500	10,640	8,865	545	1,895	325	2,030	605	6,135	780	980	2,745	1,050	1,855	560	12,940	6,565
2017	68,025	48,320	19,705	10,535	9,170	550	1,880	330	1,995	635	5,970	810	950	2,810	1,095	2,110	575	12,825	6,890
2018	67,820	48,030	19,790	10,505	9,290	535	1,890	350	1,960	640	5,845	825	950	2,885	1,130	2,215	570	12,750	7,045
2019	67,940	47,840	20,100	10,495	9,600	550	1,910	335	1,930	690	5,675	870	940	3,010	1,180	2,400	605	12,695	7,405
2020	68,155	47,670	20,485	10,525	9,960	560	1,950	335	1,905	800	5,590	880	950	3,105	1,225	2,525	660	12,720	7,770
2021	68,065	47,355	20,710	10,440	10,265	555	2,005	340	1,885	885	5,430	895	970	3,145	1,255	2,670	670	12,610	8,100
2022	68,005	46,545	21,465	10,500	10,950	565	2,010	355	1,865	1,050	5,390	940	1,010	3,160	1,325	3,005	795	12,590	8,440
2023	68,340	46,290	22,035	10,755	11,280	595	2,025	360	1,850	1,170	5,280	985	995	3,505	1,355	3,115	815	12,845	8,765
2024	68,665	45,930	22,745	10,975	11,770	610	2,035	340	1,800	1,250	5,115	1,090	985	3,780	1,485	3,360	880	–	–
2025	68,790	45,565	23,225	11,085	12,140	630	2,075	350	1,800	1,260	4,985	1,145	1,000	3,950	1,570	3,585	900	–	–
2026	69,025	45,100	23,935	11,290	12,640	685	2,080	350	1,770	1,255	4,860	1,255	990	4,175	1,700	3,850	935	–	–

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