City · South Holland

Leiden: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Leiden had 130,330 residents. 38.2% of them (49,850 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is about the same as South Holland (38.5%) and higher than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (9.6%), other Asia (7.4%) and Morocco (4.2%). 63.9% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 4.2 percentage points.

Residents: 130,330 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 38.2% 49,850 people
Born abroad: 63.9% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +4.2 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

62% 38%

Dutch origin 61.7% 80,475
Migration background 38.2% 49,850

Largest origin groups

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

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

9.6% 12,535 people

South Holland 7.1% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

7.4% 9,610 people

South Holland 6.5% Netherlands 5.3%
Morocco

4.2% 5,515 people

South Holland 3.6% Netherlands 2.4%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

3.2% 4,125 people

South Holland 2.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

3.0% 3,880 people

South Holland 3.1% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

2.4% 3,170 people

South Holland 2.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Turkey

2.0% 2,645 people

South Holland 4.1% Netherlands 2.6%
Germany

2.0% 2,590 people

South Holland 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Suriname

1.4% 1,865 people

South Holland 4.0% Netherlands 2.0%
Poland

1.2% 1,545 people

South Holland 1.8% Netherlands 1.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

1.1% 1,425 people

South Holland 2.2% Netherlands 1.1%
Belgium

0.73% 945 people

South Holland 0.53% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

64% 36%

Born abroad (first generation) 63.9% 31,830
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 36.1% 18,010

Men and women

Men: 62,930
Women: 67,405

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Leiden 38.2%

Higher than 97% 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

38.2%

Leiden
South Holland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Leiden	South Holland	Netherlands
1998	21.2%	22.1%	16.7%
1999	21.7%	22.7%	17.1%
2000	22.5%	23.2%	17.5%
2001	23.1%	23.9%	18.0%
2002	24.0%	24.6%	18.4%
2003	24.8%	25.2%	18.8%
2004	25.4%	25.7%	19.0%
2005	25.7%	26.0%	19.2%
2006	25.9%	26.3%	19.3%
2007	26.1%	26.5%	19.4%
2008	26.6%	26.9%	19.6%
2009	27.2%	27.4%	19.9%
2010	27.4%	28.0%	20.3%
2011	27.9%	28.5%	20.6%
2012	28.3%	29.0%	20.9%
2013	28.5%	29.3%	21.1%
2014	29.0%	29.6%	21.4%
2015	29.3%	30.1%	21.7%
2016	29.8%	30.6%	22.1%
2017	30.2%	31.2%	22.6%
2018	30.6%	31.8%	23.1%
2019	31.3%	32.4%	23.6%
2020	32.2%	33.1%	24.2%
2021	32.2%	33.6%	24.6%
2022	34.0%	35.1%	26.0%
2023	35.6%	36.3%	27.1%
2024	36.5%	37.1%	27.9%
2025	37.5%	37.8%	28.5%
2026	38.2%	38.5%	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 Leiden

				Largest group
2312 Binnenstad-Noord	40.3%	14,565	+2.4 pp	Other Europe
2321 Bos- en Gasthuisdistrict, Roodenburgerdistrict	42.5%	13,420	+5.4 pp	Other Europe
2313 Roodenburgerdistrict	27.1%	12,175	+2.8 pp	Other Europe
2311 Binnenstad-Zuid	36.3%	11,250	+2.9 pp	Other Europe
2332 Morsdistrict	41.9%	10,980	+6.6 pp	Other Asia
2317 Merenwijkdistrict	43.0%	10,885	+4.1 pp	Other Asia
2316 Noord	46.2%	10,760	+4.9 pp	Other Europe
2331 Stevenshofdistrict	24.3%	10,645	+3.1 pp	Other Asia
2324 Bos- en Gasthuisdistrict	39.9%	9,845	+2.0 pp	Other Asia
2315 Noord, Binnenstad-Noord	41.9%	8,565	+4.4 pp	Morocco
2314 Roodenburgerdistrict	32.5%	6,055	+1.6 pp	Other Europe
2333 Boerhaavedistrict	49.3%	4,795	+14.2 pp	Other Europe
2318 Merenwijkdistrict	29.5%	3,225	+2.0 pp	Other Europe
2334 Boerhaavedistrict	42.0%	2,735	+5.1 pp	Other Asia
2322 Bos- en Gasthuisdistrict	22.2%	225	−3.4 pp	Other Europe
2323 Bos- en Gasthuisdistrict	24.4%	205	+6.7 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	116,955	92,145	24,815	7,040	17,755	1,930	3,840	2,045	4,475	1,095	2,155	190	615	4,080	1,255	1,945	1,175	12,315	12,485
1999	117,365	91,845	25,520	7,065	18,475	1,985	4,055	2,065	4,380	1,180	2,115	210	630	4,110	1,440	2,105	1,265	12,265	13,245
2000	117,165	90,830	26,335	7,315	19,010	2,040	4,185	2,055	4,260	1,285	2,095	200	665	4,355	1,585	2,255	1,345	12,525	13,825
2001	116,990	89,925	27,040	7,520	19,525	2,055	4,305	2,010	4,190	1,390	2,075	210	680	4,555	1,695	2,435	1,450	12,715	14,315
2002	117,125	88,985	28,135	7,905	20,220	2,075	4,425	2,010	4,180	1,410	2,125	215	685	4,880	1,855	2,640	1,625	13,185	14,970
2003	117,650	88,485	29,170	8,175	21,030	2,140	4,580	1,990	4,140	1,420	2,100	195	715	5,165	2,020	2,940	1,800	13,505	15,680
2004	118,670	88,545	30,120	8,430	21,715	2,185	4,725	2,025	4,145	1,415	2,110	230	720	5,370	2,185	3,260	1,780	13,765	16,380
2005	118,545	88,070	30,480	8,390	22,080	2,195	4,875	2,010	4,085	1,385	2,115	280	705	5,290	2,235	3,450	1,845	13,700	16,765
2006	118,030	87,455	30,590	8,510	22,040	2,205	4,945	1,970	3,975	1,330	2,105	350	705	5,350	2,215	3,455	1,950	13,810	16,765
2007	117,445	86,850	30,600	8,585	22,015	2,225	4,995	1,970	3,900	1,280	2,105	440	695	5,345	2,260	3,450	1,940	13,790	16,835
2008	116,875	85,755	31,135	8,950	22,160	2,235	5,015	1,970	3,795	1,275	2,155	560	725	5,510	2,235	3,605	2,030	14,095	17,040
2009	116,775	85,020	31,770	9,335	22,435	2,255	5,095	1,905	3,715	1,290	2,135	650	715	5,835	2,290	3,750	2,135	14,470	17,280
2010	117,115	84,965	32,145	9,760	22,390	2,210	5,140	1,930	3,670	1,295	2,170	680	760	6,150	2,300	3,770	2,075	14,765	17,360
2011	117,910	84,970	32,925	10,105	22,845	2,220	5,190	1,940	3,660	1,340	2,170	765	760	6,410	2,395	3,930	2,170	15,160	17,770
2012	118,755	85,080	33,650	10,500	23,170	2,235	5,255	1,940	3,565	1,335	2,205	820	810	6,665	2,445	4,070	2,325	15,580	18,075
2013	119,795	85,580	34,200	10,750	23,445	2,225	5,205	1,890	3,535	1,320	2,190	860	780	6,920	2,480	4,280	2,510	15,925	18,295
2014	121,150	86,045	35,105	11,135	23,970	2,235	5,290	1,885	3,570	1,285	2,220	855	800	7,260	2,560	4,460	2,685	16,475	18,635
2015	121,555	85,950	35,605	11,390	24,215	2,230	5,285	1,870	3,540	1,260	2,240	895	785	7,470	2,540	4,670	2,820	16,805	18,800
2016	122,550	86,055	36,495	11,855	24,640	2,240	5,310	1,855	3,505	1,280	2,260	950	795	7,850	2,565	5,010	2,875	17,245	19,255
2017	123,650	86,320	37,330	12,060	25,270	2,245	5,295	1,850	3,460	1,250	2,260	980	805	8,015	2,705	5,500	2,970	17,440	19,890
2018	124,295	86,260	38,035	12,410	25,625	2,220	5,335	1,865	3,430	1,260	2,365	1,045	800	8,200	2,715	5,830	2,970	17,745	20,290
2019	124,890	85,850	39,040	12,990	26,050	2,240	5,355	1,840	3,445	1,230	2,435	1,100	825	8,630	2,790	6,095	3,060	18,305	20,740
2020	125,100	84,815	40,285	13,670	26,615	2,285	5,425	1,845	3,340	1,255	2,490	1,125	845	9,210	2,960	6,330	3,175	18,960	21,320
2021	124,090	84,195	39,895	13,940	25,960	2,235	5,400	1,805	3,235	1,240	2,485	1,170	830	9,455	2,940	6,120	2,990	18,905	21,000
2022	125,065	82,540	42,560	14,655	27,890	2,255	5,420	1,845	3,325	1,335	2,600	1,310	920	9,835	3,190	7,105	3,405	19,400	21,730
2023	127,080	81,855	45,230	16,345	28,890	2,370	5,420	1,825	3,270	1,360	2,645	1,495	935	11,240	3,340	7,695	3,615	21,225	22,610
2024	130,110	82,620	47,480	17,090	30,390	2,455	5,455	1,875	3,270	1,400	2,695	1,550	950	11,900	3,535	8,520	3,890	–	–
2025	130,640	81,635	49,010	17,460	31,555	2,590	5,505	1,895	3,215	1,415	2,660	1,565	965	12,260	3,705	9,160	4,055	–	–
2026	130,330	80,475	49,850	17,620	32,215	2,645	5,515	1,865	3,170	1,425	2,590	1,545	945	12,535	3,880	9,610	4,125	–	–

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