City · Westerkwartier, Groningen

Leek: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Leek had 12,170 residents. 13.8% of them (1,675 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Westerkwartier (9.9%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.5%), other Europe (2.7%) and Germany (1.3%). 54.9% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 1.8 percentage points.

Residents: 12,170 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 13.8% 1,675 people
Born abroad: 54.9% 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

86%

Dutch origin 86.3% 10,500
Migration background 13.8% 1,675

Largest origin groups

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

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.5% 420 people

Westerkwartier 2.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

2.7% 325 people

Westerkwartier 2.2% Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

1.3% 160 people

Westerkwartier 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.2% 145 people

Westerkwartier 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.2% 145 people

Westerkwartier 0.89% Netherlands 2.3%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.90% 110 people

Westerkwartier 0.74% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.82% 100 people

Westerkwartier 0.39% Netherlands 2.0%
Turkey

0.74% 90 people

Westerkwartier 0.29% Netherlands 2.6%
Poland

0.58% 70 people

Westerkwartier 0.43% Netherlands 1.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.45% 55 people

Westerkwartier 0.27% Netherlands 1.1%
Belgium

0.33% 40 people

Westerkwartier 0.15% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.08% 10 people

Westerkwartier 0.06% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

55% 45%

Born abroad (first generation) 54.9% 920
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 45.1% 755

Men and women

Men: 5,985
Women: 6,185

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Leek 13.8%

Higher than 58% 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

13.8%

Leek
Westerkwartier
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Leek	Westerkwartier	Netherlands
1998	7.8%	5.0%	16.7%
1999	7.9%	5.1%	17.1%
2000	7.6%	5.1%	17.5%
2001	8.0%	5.5%	18.0%
2002	8.1%	6.7%	18.4%
2003	8.2%	7.0%	18.8%
2004	8.3%	6.7%	19.0%
2005	8.3%	6.2%	19.2%
2006	8.4%	5.5%	19.3%
2007	8.4%	5.5%	19.4%
2008	9.0%	5.8%	19.6%
2009	9.3%	5.8%	19.9%
2010	9.4%	5.9%	20.3%
2011	9.4%	6.0%	20.6%
2012	10.4%	6.3%	20.9%
2013	10.8%	6.5%	21.1%
2014	10.7%	6.6%	21.4%
2015	10.4%	6.5%	21.7%
2016	10.3%	6.6%	22.1%
2017	10.5%	6.9%	22.6%
2018	10.3%	7.1%	23.1%
2019	10.1%	7.2%	23.6%
2020	10.4%	7.3%	24.2%
2021	11.0%	7.5%	24.6%
2022	12.0%	8.4%	26.0%
2023	12.5%	9.1%	27.1%
2024	13.3%	9.4%	27.9%
2025	13.6%	9.6%	28.5%
2026	13.8%	9.9%	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 Leek

				Largest group
9351 Centrum Leek en omgeving	13.8%	12,170	+1.8 pp	Other Asia

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	9,020	8,320	700	305	400	20	5	80	135	15	130	15	10	150	55	45	45	450	245
1999	9,125	8,400	720	310	410	15	10	80	135	15	130	15	15	150	60	55	40	465	260
2000	9,245	8,540	705	310	395	25	10	70	130	15	135	15	15	145	45	55	45	465	240
2001	9,460	8,705	755	320	435	35	10	75	135	20	135	15	15	155	45	60	55	475	270
2002	9,430	8,665	765	330	440	30	5	80	130	20	130	15	10	175	55	65	55	475	290
2003	9,370	8,605	765	300	465	30	10	80	130	25	125	15	10	150	40	100	50	460	305
2004	9,465	8,680	785	310	460	40	10	85	130	20	130	15	15	150	40	90	45	470	315
2005	9,435	8,655	780	315	465	45	10	80	135	15	135	10	15	155	35	95	50	475	305
2006	9,375	8,585	790	330	460	40	15	75	130	20	135	15	20	160	35	100	45	490	305
2007	9,720	8,895	820	345	480	40	10	75	135	30	140	20	15	170	40	105	45	500	320
2008	10,010	9,115	900	400	495	40	15	80	140	35	145	55	15	185	30	110	45	565	340
2009	10,305	9,350	960	405	550	50	15	85	145	35	140	55	15	195	50	120	50	570	385
2010	10,315	9,345	965	410	555	45	15	85	145	35	140	50	15	205	55	125	50	580	385
2011	10,260	9,300	960	415	550	45	10	70	150	35	145	50	15	205	60	125	55	590	370
2012	10,520	9,430	1,090	510	580	55	10	65	150	30	150	135	15	210	70	140	60	690	400
2013	10,785	9,630	1,160	565	600	55	10	65	155	35	155	170	20	220	70	140	70	750	405
2014	10,810	9,655	1,155	550	600	55	10	70	150	30	150	155	20	225	65	160	60	730	425
2015	10,755	9,640	1,115	495	620	60	10	75	150	30	145	105	20	225	70	165	60	665	450
2016	10,810	9,700	1,110	470	640	60	10	70	150	30	135	85	15	235	75	185	60	645	470
2017	10,930	9,785	1,145	490	655	55	15	75	155	25	145	70	20	255	90	180	60	655	485
2018	10,955	9,825	1,130	455	680	55	15	70	150	35	140	65	20	230	85	210	60	625	510
2019	11,045	9,925	1,120	445	680	55	15	65	145	30	135	60	20	230	85	215	70	610	515
2020	11,175	10,010	1,165	450	715	50	15	70	150	30	135	60	15	240	110	220	70	620	545
2021	11,375	10,120	1,255	465	790	60	15	75	145	35	140	60	15	250	125	265	70	640	615
2022	11,580	10,190	1,390	485	910	75	15	80	145	50	155	55	25	240	125	330	85	650	670
2023	11,790	10,320	1,470	530	940	85	10	100	140	50	160	60	25	280	125	345	90	690	715
2024	11,990	10,395	1,595	590	1,005	90	15	100	140	55	165	70	30	325	140	365	100	–	–
2025	12,020	10,390	1,630	585	1,045	90	10	100	145	50	160	70	30	320	145	395	110	–	–
2026	12,170	10,500	1,675	595	1,075	90	10	100	145	55	160	70	40	325	145	420	110	–	–

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