City · Drenthe

Meppel: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Meppel had 32,290 residents. 18.3% of them (5,915 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Meppel (17.0%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (4.6%), other Asia (3.7%) and other Africa (2.0%). 62.2% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 3.7 percentage points.

Residents: 32,290 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 18.3% 5,915 people
Born abroad: 62.2% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +3.7 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

82% 18%

Dutch origin 81.7% 26,380
Migration background 18.3% 5,915

Largest origin groups

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

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

4.6% 1,490 people

Municipality of Meppel 4.2% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.7% 1,190 people

Municipality of Meppel 3.4% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

2.0% 645 people

Municipality of Meppel 1.8% Netherlands 2.3%
Morocco

2.0% 640 people

Municipality of Meppel 1.8% Netherlands 2.4%
Indonesia

1.5% 485 people

Municipality of Meppel 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Germany

1.5% 475 people

Municipality of Meppel 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.0% 325 people

Municipality of Meppel 1.0% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.63% 205 people

Municipality of Meppel 0.59% Netherlands 2.0%
Poland

0.48% 155 people

Municipality of Meppel 0.46% Netherlands 1.4%
Turkey

0.37% 120 people

Municipality of Meppel 0.34% Netherlands 2.6%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.36% 115 people

Municipality of Meppel 0.31% Netherlands 1.1%
Belgium

0.19% 60 people

Municipality of Meppel 0.19% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

62% 38%

Born abroad (first generation) 62.2% 3,680
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 37.9% 2,240

Men and women

Men: 15,860
Women: 16,430

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Meppel 18.3%

Higher than 77% 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

18.3%

Meppel
Municipality of Meppel
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Meppel	Municipality of Meppel	Netherlands
1998	9.7%	8.9%	16.7%
1999	9.9%	9.2%	17.1%
2000	10.0%	9.3%	17.5%
2001	10.4%	9.6%	18.0%
2002	10.5%	9.7%	18.4%
2003	11.8%	10.8%	18.8%
2004	12.1%	11.0%	19.0%
2005	10.9%	10.0%	19.2%
2006	11.1%	10.2%	19.3%
2007	10.9%	10.1%	19.4%
2008	11.0%	10.1%	19.6%
2009	11.0%	10.2%	19.9%
2010	11.2%	10.3%	20.3%
2011	11.1%	10.3%	20.6%
2012	11.3%	10.4%	20.9%
2013	11.2%	10.4%	21.1%
2014	11.4%	10.5%	21.4%
2015	11.4%	10.5%	21.7%
2016	11.7%	10.8%	22.1%
2017	12.1%	11.2%	22.6%
2018	12.3%	11.4%	23.1%
2019	12.7%	11.7%	23.6%
2020	12.9%	12.0%	24.2%
2021	13.2%	12.3%	24.6%
2022	14.6%	13.6%	26.0%
2023	16.3%	15.1%	27.1%
2024	17.2%	15.9%	27.9%
2025	17.6%	16.3%	28.5%
2026	18.3%	17.0%	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 Meppel

				Largest group
7944 Koedijkslanden, Berggierslanden	15.7%	10,375	+1.4 pp	Other Asia
7943 Oosterboer	18.3%	8,525	+7.3 pp	Other Europe
7942 Nieuwveenselanden, Haveltermade	25.6%	6,900	+4.0 pp	Other Asia
7941 Centrum	14.9%	6,490	+1.5 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	25,605	23,130	2,485	795	1,685	15	450	180	505	30	425	20	50	300	170	240	95	1,350	1,140
1999	25,880	23,305	2,570	805	1,770	30	470	180	490	40	430	15	45	315	180	290	90	1,355	1,225
2000	26,085	23,455	2,620	825	1,785	25	485	185	485	50	420	20	45	340	185	280	90	1,375	1,245
2001	26,285	23,555	2,725	840	1,895	20	505	195	505	45	420	25	45	350	195	315	115	1,395	1,325
2002	26,205	23,445	2,755	845	1,925	25	510	200	495	55	410	30	55	350	205	330	105	1,400	1,355
2003	26,470	23,340	3,125	910	2,205	25	525	190	480	55	415	25	45	425	395	415	120	1,450	1,675
2004	26,530	23,325	3,200	930	2,260	40	540	185	480	65	425	20	45	440	355	470	125	1,485	1,710
2005	26,235	23,395	2,855	890	1,950	20	580	190	480	60	405	30	45	410	195	315	110	1,420	1,420
2006	26,365	23,435	2,925	920	2,010	25	575	195	490	50	410	30	40	440	225	315	135	1,465	1,450
2007	26,870	23,945	2,925	940	1,995	30	570	180	485	50	415	30	55	440	235	305	140	1,480	1,445
2008	27,335	24,330	3,005	970	2,035	25	575	195	495	55	430	40	55	445	245	305	140	1,535	1,470
2009	27,815	24,740	3,065	990	2,090	25	590	185	500	70	425	45	50	470	265	315	140	1,560	1,520
2010	28,155	25,010	3,140	1,010	2,130	25	625	200	495	70	430	60	35	485	260	320	135	1,575	1,570
2011	28,305	25,180	3,135	1,005	2,125	20	620	190	490	70	435	40	40	490	285	310	140	1,570	1,570
2012	28,400	25,190	3,195	985	2,220	30	640	190	485	75	415	60	30	480	300	345	155	1,560	1,635
2013	28,580	25,370	3,200	1,005	2,200	35	635	190	495	70	410	70	35	490	280	345	150	1,580	1,620
2014	28,730	25,460	3,270	1,045	2,220	25	640	195	505	55	430	65	35	515	310	335	155	1,615	1,650
2015	28,720	25,455	3,265	1,030	2,225	30	620	190	490	65	430	55	35	510	320	355	155	1,600	1,660
2016	28,730	25,380	3,350	1,065	2,285	35	620	185	485	65	415	70	40	540	335	395	165	1,630	1,725
2017	28,955	25,465	3,490	1,105	2,390	25	630	195	480	80	435	70	30	570	360	465	155	1,660	1,835
2018	29,340	25,725	3,615	1,155	2,460	25	630	180	480	85	455	75	35	590	385	505	170	1,720	1,900
2019	29,520	25,775	3,745	1,195	2,545	25	630	185	490	80	460	85	35	615	395	565	175	1,770	1,970
2020	29,785	25,935	3,850	1,235	2,620	30	630	185	485	90	475	95	40	625	415	605	180	1,815	2,035
2021	30,115	26,145	3,970	1,275	2,695	40	625	185	490	90	480	100	40	655	425	645	195	1,865	2,105
2022	30,455	26,015	4,440	1,395	3,050	60	625	195	520	105	535	110	50	695	465	805	275	1,985	2,235
2023	31,110	26,060	5,060	1,755	3,300	95	630	195	505	110	530	135	50	1,025	535	940	280	2,330	2,505
2024	31,470	26,065	5,405	1,860	3,535	120	635	205	500	115	530	155	55	1,130	570	1,090	305	–	–
2025	31,905	26,280	5,630	2,045	3,585	115	635	200	500	110	515	155	60	1,325	590	1,125	315	–	–
2026	32,290	26,380	5,915	2,190	3,725	120	640	205	485	115	475	155	60	1,490	645	1,190	325	–	–

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