City · Zeeland

Hulst: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Hulst had 10,870 residents. 32.1% of them (3,485 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the municipality of Hulst (33.7%) and higher than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Belgium (18.6%), other Europe (4.6%) and other Asia (2.3%). 62.1% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.9 percentage points.

Residents: 10,870 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 32.1% 3,485 people
Born abroad: 62.1% 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

68% 32%

Dutch origin 67.9% 7,385
Migration background 32.1% 3,485

Largest origin groups

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

Belgium

18.6% 2,025 people

Municipality of Hulst 21.9% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

4.6% 500 people

Municipality of Hulst 3.4% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.3% 255 people

Municipality of Hulst 2.4% Netherlands 5.3%
Germany

1.4% 150 people

Municipality of Hulst 1.2% Netherlands 1.9%
Poland

1.1% 115 people

Municipality of Hulst 1.1% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.1% 115 people

Municipality of Hulst 1.1% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

0.87% 95 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.69% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.87% 95 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.71% Netherlands 1.7%
Turkey

0.37% 40 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.37% Netherlands 2.6%
Morocco

0.32% 35 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.27% Netherlands 2.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.28% 30 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.24% Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.23% 25 people

Municipality of Hulst 0.20% Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

62% 38%

Born abroad (first generation) 62.1% 2,165
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 38.0% 1,325

Men and women

Men: 5,285
Women: 5,585

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Hulst 32.1%

Higher than 95% 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

32.1%

Hulst
Municipality of Hulst
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Hulst	Municipality of Hulst	Netherlands
1998	21.4%	22.0%	16.7%
1999	21.9%	22.3%	17.1%
2000	22.3%	22.6%	17.5%
2001	22.8%	23.0%	18.0%
2002	22.9%	23.0%	18.4%
2003	22.9%	23.1%	18.8%
2004	23.0%	23.0%	19.0%
2005	23.1%	23.0%	19.2%
2006	23.0%	22.9%	19.3%
2007	23.2%	23.1%	19.4%
2008	23.1%	23.2%	19.6%
2009	23.0%	23.4%	19.9%
2010	23.0%	23.4%	20.3%
2011	23.4%	23.6%	20.6%
2012	23.6%	24.1%	20.9%
2013	24.3%	24.6%	21.1%
2014	24.7%	25.3%	21.4%
2015	24.9%	25.9%	21.7%
2016	25.0%	26.3%	22.1%
2017	25.4%	26.9%	22.6%
2018	25.4%	27.5%	23.1%
2019	26.2%	28.3%	23.6%
2020	26.6%	28.7%	24.2%
2021	27.1%	29.3%	24.6%
2022	29.2%	31.5%	26.0%
2023	30.6%	32.2%	27.1%
2024	31.3%	32.8%	27.9%
2025	31.8%	33.5%	28.5%
2026	32.1%	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 Hulst

				Largest group
4561 Binnenstad	32.1%	9,855	+2.9 pp	Belgium
4562 Groote Kreek	32.0%	1,015	+2.8 pp	Belgium

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	10,280	8,080	2,205	1,890	310	5	25	10	90	25	120	35	1,510	225	35	80	40	2,020	180
1999	10,260	8,010	2,245	1,925	320	10	25	10	90	25	115	40	1,530	240	35	75	50	2,060	185
2000	10,295	7,995	2,300	1,970	315	10	20	15	85	25	110	45	1,585	230	35	85	40	2,105	195
2001	10,280	7,945	2,340	2,015	320	15	20	15	80	20	125	40	1,605	245	40	85	45	2,130	205
2002	10,410	8,025	2,385	2,040	345	10	15	25	85	20	125	40	1,630	245	55	85	50	2,165	220
2003	10,465	8,070	2,395	2,075	320	15	25	15	80	15	120	50	1,670	235	30	95	45	2,200	200
2004	10,520	8,105	2,415	2,090	320	10	15	10	85	20	125	50	1,670	245	40	95	45	2,205	205
2005	10,540	8,095	2,440	2,110	335	15	20	15	85	15	130	45	1,680	255	30	115	40	2,230	215
2006	10,630	8,185	2,450	2,100	350	15	20	15	85	15	130	45	1,675	250	35	125	40	2,215	240
2007	10,740	8,245	2,490	2,105	385	10	20	15	90	20	130	55	1,670	250	40	135	55	2,235	255
2008	10,805	8,310	2,495	2,105	390	15	30	15	95	15	140	65	1,655	245	40	120	60	2,240	255
2009	10,830	8,340	2,490	2,090	390	15	35	15	90	15	135	70	1,635	250	40	120	60	2,215	275
2010	10,870	8,370	2,500	2,090	410	15	40	25	100	15	150	65	1,640	235	50	115	50	2,220	285
2011	10,870	8,335	2,540	2,125	415	15	40	15	90	10	150	70	1,660	245	50	135	60	2,245	290
2012	10,845	8,290	2,560	2,145	415	20	50	15	90	10	150	75	1,655	265	40	140	50	2,260	300
2013	10,795	8,180	2,620	2,200	425	20	40	15	90	15	145	75	1,685	295	65	140	40	2,305	315
2014	10,775	8,110	2,665	2,245	420	20	45	20	85	10	135	90	1,710	310	65	130	45	2,350	310
2015	10,765	8,080	2,685	2,255	420	15	45	20	85	10	135	90	1,715	315	70	130	45	2,365	315
2016	10,790	8,095	2,695	2,265	425	20	40	20	85	10	130	80	1,740	315	75	125	50	2,380	315
2017	10,910	8,135	2,775	2,345	435	20	30	20	90	10	130	80	1,800	335	85	130	50	2,455	320
2018	11,000	8,205	2,795	2,355	440	20	35	20	90	10	135	80	1,825	315	75	140	50	2,465	330
2019	11,025	8,140	2,885	2,405	480	25	35	20	90	15	140	85	1,850	330	85	140	70	2,535	355
2020	11,070	8,120	2,950	2,465	485	20	40	20	90	15	145	85	1,885	350	75	150	75	2,585	360
2021	10,985	8,010	2,975	2,490	485	30	40	20	90	15	140	85	1,915	350	80	140	70	2,620	360
2022	10,975	7,775	3,205	2,650	555	25	35	25	105	20	150	90	2,060	350	90	175	75	2,660	375
2023	11,030	7,645	3,375	2,790	580	30	40	30	100	25	145	105	2,105	440	95	180	90	2,815	405
2024	10,895	7,485	3,410	2,810	600	30	40	25	100	30	140	105	2,115	450	105	195	85	–	–
2025	10,880	7,425	3,455	2,805	655	45	35	25	100	25	145	110	2,070	480	110	220	95	–	–
2026	10,870	7,385	3,485	2,785	700	40	35	25	95	30	150	115	2,025	500	115	255	95	–	–

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