City · Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg

Mechelen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Mechelen had 1,700 residents. 13.5% of them (230 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem (16.3%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Germany (3.2%), Belgium (3.2%) and other Europe (2.1%). 43.5% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has hardly changed.

Residents: 1,700 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 13.5% 230 people
Born abroad: 43.5% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +0.2 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

86%

Dutch origin 86.5% 1,470
Migration background 13.5% 230

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Mechelen. For comparison, the line marks Gulpen-Wittem and the circle the Netherlands.

Germany

3.2% 55 people

Gulpen-Wittem 4.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Belgium

3.2% 55 people

Gulpen-Wittem 2.7% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

2.1% 35 people

Gulpen-Wittem 3.0% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.1% 35 people

Gulpen-Wittem 1.9% Netherlands 5.3%
Indonesia

1.2% 20 people

Gulpen-Wittem 1.2% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.88% 15 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.86% Netherlands 1.7%
Poland

0.59% 10 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.57% Netherlands 1.4%
Suriname

0.29% 5 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.11% Netherlands 2.0%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

0.29% 5 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.75% Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

0.0% 0 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.22% Netherlands 2.6%
Morocco

0.0% 0 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.25% Netherlands 2.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.0% 0 people

Gulpen-Wittem 0.14% Netherlands 1.1%

First and second generation

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

43% 57%

Born abroad (first generation) 43.5% 100
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 56.5% 130

Men and women

Men: 855
Women: 845

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Mechelen 13.5%

Higher than 56% 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

13.5%

Mechelen
Gulpen-Wittem
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Mechelen	Gulpen-Wittem	Netherlands
1998	15.9%	14.3%	16.7%
1999	15.9%	13.9%	17.1%
2000	15.0%	14.0%	17.5%
2001	13.9%	14.8%	18.0%
2002	13.0%	14.5%	18.4%
2003	12.6%	14.6%	18.8%
2004	12.4%	13.5%	19.0%
2005	12.7%	13.4%	19.2%
2006	12.6%	13.2%	19.3%
2007	12.4%	13.2%	19.4%
2008	12.5%	13.1%	19.6%
2009	12.7%	13.2%	19.9%
2010	12.1%	13.0%	20.3%
2011	11.7%	12.8%	20.6%
2012	11.3%	12.9%	20.9%
2013	11.6%	12.8%	21.1%
2014	11.7%	13.1%	21.4%
2015	11.7%	13.5%	21.7%
2016	11.7%	14.3%	22.1%
2017	11.6%	13.7%	22.6%
2018	12.5%	13.8%	23.1%
2019	12.1%	13.9%	23.6%
2020	12.4%	14.1%	24.2%
2021	12.6%	14.2%	24.6%
2022	13.4%	15.1%	26.0%
2023	13.5%	15.8%	27.1%
2024	13.7%	15.8%	27.9%
2025	13.9%	16.1%	28.5%
2026	13.5%	16.3%	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 Mechelen

				Largest group
6281 Mechelen	13.5%	1,700	+0.2 pp	Germany

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	Suriname	Indonesia	Germany	Poland	Belgium	Other Europe	Other Africa	Other Asia	Other Americas & Oceania	Western migration background	Non-Western migration background
1998	2,135	1,795	340	290	50	5	15	130	0	110	50	0	25	5	305	35
1999	2,105	1,770	335	270	55	10	20	125	0	110	35	5	20	0	290	40
2000	2,060	1,755	310	255	50	5	20	120	0	100	35	0	20	5	270	40
2001	2,045	1,760	285	250	35	10	15	110	0	100	40	5	5	0	265	20
2002	2,005	1,750	260	225	30	10	15	105	0	105	15	0	10	0	245	15
2003	1,985	1,740	250	225	30	5	15	105	0	95	25	0	10	0	240	10
2004	1,970	1,720	245	210	35	5	15	95	5	90	20	0	15	0	230	20
2005	1,975	1,720	250	210	40	5	15	95	5	85	25	5	15	0	225	25
2006	1,980	1,730	250	210	45	5	15	95	5	85	25	10	10	5	230	20
2007	1,980	1,730	245	205	35	5	15	95	0	80	30	5	10	0	225	20
2008	1,960	1,715	245	205	40	5	20	95	5	75	30	5	5	5	225	20
2009	1,935	1,695	245	200	40	5	20	90	5	75	30	5	5	5	225	20
2010	1,905	1,670	230	190	40	5	15	85	5	75	25	5	10	5	210	20
2011	1,885	1,660	220	180	45	0	15	75	0	70	35	10	10	10	205	20
2012	1,855	1,645	210	175	35	5	15	70	0	65	40	5	10	0	195	20
2013	1,850	1,640	215	170	35	0	15	70	0	70	30	0	15	5	190	20
2014	1,840	1,625	215	170	45	5	20	70	0	65	35	0	15	5	190	25
2015	1,840	1,625	215	170	50	5	20	65	5	65	35	0	20	5	190	25
2016	1,840	1,625	215	165	50	5	25	70	0	65	30	0	15	5	190	25
2017	1,850	1,635	215	165	45	5	20	70	5	60	30	0	20	0	190	25
2018	1,795	1,570	225	170	55	5	20	70	10	55	35	0	25	5	195	30
2019	1,780	1,565	215	165	50	0	20	65	10	60	30	0	20	10	190	25
2020	1,780	1,560	220	165	55	5	20	60	10	60	35	0	25	5	190	30
2021	1,780	1,555	225	160	60	5	20	60	10	50	40	0	25	10	185	35
2022	1,760	1,525	235	170	65	5	20	60	5	60	45	0	25	15	185	35
2023	1,745	1,510	235	165	65	10	20	65	10	55	45	0	20	15	180	35
2024	1,720	1,485	235	170	65	5	20	65	5	50	45	0	25	10	–	–
2025	1,730	1,490	240	165	75	5	20	60	10	55	45	5	30	15	–	–
2026	1,700	1,470	230	155	75	5	20	55	10	55	35	5	35	15	–	–

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