City · Horst aan de Maas, Limburg

Meerlo: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Meerlo had 1,900 residents. 15.5% of them (295 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the municipality of Horst aan de Maas (16.7%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Poland (4.7%), other Europe (3.2%) and Germany (2.6%). 69.5% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.0 percentage points.

Residents: 1,900 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 15.5% 295 people
Born abroad: 69.5% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.0 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

84% 16%

Dutch origin 84.5% 1,605
Migration background 15.5% 295

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Meerlo. For comparison, the line marks Horst aan de Maas and the circle the Netherlands.

Poland

4.7% 90 people

Horst aan de Maas 4.1% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.2% 60 people

Horst aan de Maas 4.0% Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

2.6% 50 people

Horst aan de Maas 2.3% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

1.6% 30 people

Horst aan de Maas 2.9% Netherlands 5.3%
Indonesia

0.79% 15 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.59% Netherlands 1.9%
Belgium

0.79% 15 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.47% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

0.79% 15 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.78% Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

0.53% 10 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.35% Netherlands 2.6%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.53% 10 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.71% Netherlands 1.7%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.26% 5 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.15% Netherlands 1.1%
Morocco

0.0% 0 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.16% Netherlands 2.4%
Suriname

0.0% 0 people

Horst aan de Maas 0.16% Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

69% 31%

Born abroad (first generation) 69.5% 205
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 30.5% 90

Men and women

Men: 985
Women: 915

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Meerlo 15.5%

Higher than 66% 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

15.5%

Meerlo
Horst aan de Maas
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Meerlo	Horst aan de Maas	Netherlands
1998	7.3%	6.6%	16.7%
1999	7.6%	6.9%	17.1%
2000	8.0%	7.0%	17.5%
2001	8.0%	7.1%	18.0%
2002	8.3%	7.2%	18.4%
2003	8.5%	7.4%	18.8%
2004	7.9%	7.5%	19.0%
2005	7.4%	7.4%	19.2%
2006	7.4%	7.4%	19.3%
2007	7.7%	7.6%	19.4%
2008	7.8%	7.7%	19.6%
2009	8.1%	8.0%	19.9%
2010	7.9%	8.2%	20.3%
2011	7.9%	8.9%	20.6%
2012	7.9%	9.0%	20.9%
2013	7.9%	9.0%	21.1%
2014	8.5%	9.4%	21.4%
2015	8.9%	9.5%	21.7%
2016	9.5%	10.0%	22.1%
2017	10.1%	10.9%	22.6%
2018	11.1%	11.3%	23.1%
2019	11.7%	11.5%	23.6%
2020	13.0%	12.1%	24.2%
2021	13.0%	12.3%	24.6%
2022	13.6%	13.3%	26.0%
2023	13.8%	14.6%	27.1%
2024	15.1%	15.3%	27.9%
2025	15.6%	15.8%	28.5%
2026	15.5%	16.7%	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 Meerlo

				Largest group
5864 Meerlo	15.5%	1,900	+2.0 pp	Poland

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	1,705	1,580	125	100	20	0	0	0	15	5	80	0	0	20	0	0	0	115	10
1999	1,705	1,575	130	105	25	0	0	0	15	5	75	5	0	25	0	5	0	110	20
2000	1,690	1,560	135	95	35	0	0	0	10	10	70	5	0	20	10	5	0	105	25
2001	1,750	1,610	140	100	40	0	0	0	10	5	70	5	0	25	10	10	5	115	25
2002	1,745	1,600	145	105	45	0	0	0	15	10	70	5	0	30	10	5	5	115	30
2003	1,765	1,620	150	105	40	0	0	0	15	10	75	10	0	20	5	10	0	120	30
2004	1,775	1,635	140	100	45	0	0	0	15	10	70	10	0	20	5	10	5	115	25
2005	1,765	1,640	130	95	30	0	0	0	10	0	65	5	0	25	5	10	5	105	20
2006	1,765	1,635	130	95	35	0	0	0	10	0	65	10	0	20	5	10	10	110	20
2007	1,745	1,610	135	95	45	0	0	0	10	0	65	10	5	15	5	20	10	110	25
2008	1,785	1,650	140	95	40	0	0	0	10	0	65	10	0	20	5	20	5	110	25
2009	1,845	1,690	150	100	45	5	0	0	15	5	60	15	0	25	5	15	0	115	35
2010	1,900	1,750	150	95	60	5	0	0	20	0	65	15	0	15	10	10	15	115	35
2011	1,905	1,750	150	100	50	0	0	5	15	5	65	15	0	20	5	15	5	115	40
2012	1,895	1,750	150	100	55	0	5	0	15	5	60	15	0	25	5	15	10	115	35
2013	1,895	1,745	150	100	60	0	5	0	15	5	60	15	5	20	10	15	10	115	35
2014	1,880	1,720	160	105	55	0	5	0	15	0	55	25	0	25	10	10	15	125	35
2015	1,900	1,730	170	120	55	0	5	0	15	0	60	40	0	20	10	10	15	140	35
2016	1,890	1,710	180	135	45	0	5	0	20	5	55	55	0	25	10	0	5	150	35
2017	1,890	1,700	190	140	50	0	5	0	15	0	60	55	0	25	5	15	10	160	30
2018	1,900	1,690	210	160	50	0	5	0	15	0	60	75	0	25	5	15	10	175	30
2019	1,880	1,660	220	170	50	0	5	0	15	0	60	85	5	20	10	15	5	185	35
2020	1,890	1,645	245	185	55	0	0	0	15	5	65	95	5	20	15	20	0	200	40
2021	1,845	1,605	240	185	60	0	5	0	15	0	60	85	10	30	15	15	10	200	40
2022	1,880	1,620	255	195	65	5	5	0	15	5	55	90	15	30	10	20	10	210	40
2023	1,880	1,620	260	180	75	10	5	0	20	5	50	80	10	40	15	20	10	200	55
2024	1,915	1,630	290	200	90	10	5	0	15	5	55	85	10	50	15	30	10	–	–
2025	1,920	1,620	300	210	90	10	5	0	15	5	50	90	15	55	15	30	10	–	–
2026	1,900	1,605	295	210	85	10	0	0	15	5	50	90	15	60	15	30	10	–	–

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