City · Pekela, Groningen

Oude Pekela: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Oude Pekela had 7,845 residents. 15.4% of them (1,205 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Pekela (14.3%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (4.3%), Germany (3.1%) and other Asia (2.8%). 65.1% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 5.3 percentage points.

Residents: 7,845 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 15.4% 1,205 people
Born abroad: 65.1% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +5.3 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

85% 15%

Dutch origin 84.7% 6,645
Migration background 15.4% 1,205

Largest origin groups

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

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

4.3% 340 people

Pekela 4.1% Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

3.1% 240 people

Pekela 2.8% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.8% 220 people

Pekela 2.4% Netherlands 5.3%
Poland

1.1% 90 people

Pekela 0.91% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.0% 80 people

Pekela 1.0% Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

0.83% 65 people

Pekela 0.72% Netherlands 2.6%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.70% 55 people

Pekela 0.68% Netherlands 1.1%
Indonesia

0.51% 40 people

Pekela 0.56% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.38% 30 people

Pekela 0.52% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.25% 20 people

Pekela 0.32% Netherlands 2.0%
Belgium

0.19% 15 people

Pekela 0.16% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.13% 10 people

Pekela 0.12% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

65% 35%

Born abroad (first generation) 65.1% 785
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 34.9% 420

Men and women

Men: 3,920
Women: 3,925

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Oude Pekela 15.4%

Higher than 65% 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

15.4%

Oude Pekela
Pekela
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Oude Pekela	Pekela	Netherlands
1998	7.1%	6.3%	16.7%
1999	6.9%	6.2%	17.1%
2000	7.0%	6.3%	17.5%
2001	7.1%	6.6%	18.0%
2002	10.2%	8.5%	18.4%
2003	11.5%	9.4%	18.8%
2004	11.7%	9.7%	19.0%
2005	11.8%	9.7%	19.2%
2006	12.4%	10.1%	19.3%
2007	12.7%	10.2%	19.4%
2008	12.7%	10.3%	19.6%
2009	12.0%	9.9%	19.9%
2010	12.5%	10.1%	20.3%
2011	11.6%	9.7%	20.6%
2012	11.2%	9.5%	20.9%
2013	11.0%	9.3%	21.1%
2014	11.6%	9.9%	21.4%
2015	12.4%	10.3%	21.7%
2016	12.9%	10.7%	22.1%
2017	11.2%	9.7%	22.6%
2018	9.0%	8.3%	23.1%
2019	9.3%	8.6%	23.6%
2020	9.8%	9.0%	24.2%
2021	9.7%	9.0%	24.6%
2022	10.0%	9.7%	26.0%
2023	13.4%	11.9%	27.1%
2024	13.9%	13.2%	27.9%
2025	14.2%	13.4%	28.5%
2026	15.4%	14.3%	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 Oude Pekela

				Largest group
9665 Oude Pekela	15.4%	7,845	+5.3 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	8,355	7,770	590	410	180	40	0	35	40	5	315	25	5	65	15	25	20	465	125
1999	8,420	7,840	585	425	165	40	5	35	35	0	325	25	10	65	5	30	15	470	120
2000	8,530	7,935	595	420	180	35	5	30	45	5	320	30	5	65	5	35	20	480	120
2001	8,475	7,875	605	435	170	25	0	30	40	10	325	25	5	80	10	35	20	485	115
2002	8,685	7,800	890	475	415	35	5	35	45	10	315	30	5	125	90	180	15	535	350
2003	8,720	7,720	1,005	505	490	40	0	35	40	15	310	25	10	160	130	215	15	565	440
2004	8,645	7,635	1,015	535	480	35	5	35	50	10	305	30	10	190	115	215	15	595	420
2005	8,615	7,595	1,015	545	465	40	0	30	50	5	305	35	10	195	125	200	15	610	405
2006	8,560	7,495	1,060	575	480	40	0	35	45	5	310	35	10	220	145	200	10	635	430
2007	8,520	7,435	1,085	575	505	45	0	35	45	5	315	35	10	215	160	195	20	630	455
2008	8,520	7,435	1,085	540	545	55	5	35	45	5	305	40	10	185	175	200	25	600	485
2009	8,410	7,400	1,010	505	495	45	0	30	45	5	295	50	10	150	140	210	20	565	445
2010	8,375	7,330	1,045	530	515	40	0	30	40	5	295	55	10	170	185	200	15	580	465
2011	8,285	7,325	965	530	440	30	0	35	40	5	280	60	15	175	145	170	15	575	385
2012	8,180	7,270	915	530	385	30	5	30	40	10	285	60	10	175	120	135	15	575	340
2013	8,120	7,220	895	510	390	30	5	25	35	10	270	55	15	170	115	145	25	555	345
2014	8,085	7,150	935	500	440	30	0	35	35	15	260	60	15	165	160	150	15	545	395
2015	8,085	7,085	1,000	480	520	25	0	30	35	20	250	60	15	155	235	155	20	525	475
2016	8,050	7,015	1,035	470	565	35	5	25	35	20	255	65	15	135	260	170	15	520	520
2017	7,930	7,040	890	455	430	30	5	25	35	15	245	60	15	135	115	190	15	495	390
2018	7,650	6,960	690	435	255	30	5	25	30	20	250	55	15	115	50	80	15	470	215
2019	7,645	6,935	710	430	280	30	0	25	30	40	250	55	15	110	55	85	15	470	240
2020	7,640	6,890	750	455	295	25	5	25	30	40	250	65	10	130	65	90	15	490	260
2021	7,585	6,850	735	425	310	25	0	30	35	55	240	60	10	115	75	70	20	470	265
2022	7,580	6,825	760	420	335	35	5	25	40	50	240	60	15	110	75	85	25	455	275
2023	7,810	6,765	1,045	640	400	35	15	20	40	65	235	70	10	325	95	120	20	680	345
2024	7,780	6,700	1,080	675	410	45	10	20	35	60	245	70	15	345	85	130	20	–	–
2025	7,735	6,635	1,100	680	420	50	10	25	40	55	240	75	15	355	80	140	25	–	–
2026	7,845	6,645	1,205	685	520	65	10	20	40	55	240	90	15	340	80	220	30	–	–

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