City · Midden-Drenthe, Drenthe

Smilde: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Smilde had 5,025 residents. 11.0% of them (555 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is about the same as the municipality of Midden-Drenthe (10.2%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.4%), other Europe (3.0%) and Germany (1.2%). 66.7% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.4 percentage points.

Residents: 5,025 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 11.0% 555 people
Born abroad: 66.7% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.4 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

89%

Dutch origin 89.1% 4,475
Migration background 11.0% 555

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Smilde. For comparison, the line marks Midden-Drenthe and the circle the Netherlands.

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.4% 170 people

Midden-Drenthe 2.1% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.0% 150 people

Midden-Drenthe 2.5% Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

1.2% 60 people

Midden-Drenthe 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.0% 50 people

Midden-Drenthe 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Poland

0.50% 25 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.51% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

0.50% 25 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.73% Netherlands 2.3%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.40% 20 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.64% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.30% 15 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.26% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.30% 15 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.20% Netherlands 1.1%
Turkey

0.20% 10 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.15% Netherlands 2.6%
Belgium

0.10% 5 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.19% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.0% 0 people

Midden-Drenthe 0.09% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

67% 33%

Born abroad (first generation) 66.7% 370
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 33.3% 185

Men and women

Men: 2,510
Women: 2,520

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Smilde 11.0%

Higher than 39% 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

11.0%

Smilde
Midden-Drenthe
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Smilde	Midden-Drenthe	Netherlands
1998	5.2%	5.7%	16.7%
1999	5.3%	6.0%	17.1%
2000	5.5%	6.3%	17.5%
2001	5.3%	7.1%	18.0%
2002	5.4%	6.4%	18.4%
2003	5.4%	6.1%	18.8%
2004	5.2%	5.4%	19.0%
2005	5.4%	5.6%	19.2%
2006	5.5%	5.6%	19.3%
2007	5.9%	5.8%	19.4%
2008	5.8%	5.8%	19.6%
2009	6.1%	5.8%	19.9%
2010	6.1%	6.1%	20.3%
2011	6.2%	6.1%	20.6%
2012	6.4%	6.3%	20.9%
2013	6.3%	6.3%	21.1%
2014	6.6%	6.4%	21.4%
2015	6.7%	6.4%	21.7%
2016	6.8%	7.3%	22.1%
2017	6.8%	7.7%	22.6%
2018	7.3%	7.0%	23.1%
2019	7.5%	7.1%	23.6%
2020	7.5%	7.3%	24.2%
2021	7.7%	7.3%	24.6%
2022	8.6%	8.1%	26.0%
2023	9.3%	8.8%	27.1%
2024	10.1%	9.2%	27.9%
2025	9.6%	9.5%	28.5%
2026	11.0%	10.2%	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 Smilde

				Largest group
9422 Centrum	11.0%	5,025	+2.4 pp	Other Asia

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	4,985	4,715	260	130	140	0	10	10	70	10	65	5	0	60	5	30	5	200	65
1999	5,000	4,730	265	120	140	0	5	5	65	10	60	5	5	50	10	40	5	190	75
2000	5,025	4,745	275	130	150	0	10	5	70	10	65	5	0	60	10	35	10	200	75
2001	5,065	4,795	270	130	140	0	5	0	70	10	70	5	0	55	10	40	5	200	65
2002	5,130	4,850	275	125	150	0	0	5	70	15	70	10	0	45	20	35	5	205	75
2003	5,170	4,890	280	130	145	0	0	5	65	10	70	5	0	55	15	45	5	205	75
2004	5,165	4,890	270	130	145	0	0	0	75	15	70	15	0	45	15	30	10	200	70
2005	5,140	4,860	280	130	150	0	5	5	75	15	70	15	0	45	10	35	5	210	70
2006	5,075	4,790	280	135	145	0	0	0	75	10	75	5	0	55	20	30	10	210	70
2007	5,100	4,795	300	135	165	0	0	5	75	15	75	10	5	45	25	30	15	215	85
2008	5,065	4,770	295	130	165	0	0	5	75	15	70	5	0	55	30	25	15	205	85
2009	5,025	4,720	305	135	175	0	0	5	75	15	75	5	0	55	25	35	20	210	90
2010	5,035	4,735	305	130	180	5	0	5	70	10	70	10	0	50	25	35	30	215	90
2011	5,025	4,720	310	130	180	5	0	5	75	15	70	10	5	45	25	35	20	215	95
2012	5,025	4,705	320	145	180	5	0	5	70	10	70	10	0	65	25	40	25	215	105
2013	4,990	4,675	315	135	175	10	0	10	65	15	70	10	0	55	20	35	20	215	105
2014	5,025	4,695	330	145	190	0	0	10	65	10	65	10	5	65	25	45	35	220	115
2015	5,005	4,670	335	140	195	5	0	5	60	10	70	10	5	55	20	60	35	220	115
2016	4,980	4,640	340	140	200	0	0	5	65	10	70	10	0	60	25	65	30	215	125
2017	4,915	4,580	335	130	200	0	0	10	60	10	60	15	5	50	25	70	25	205	125
2018	4,950	4,590	360	140	220	0	0	10	60	10	65	15	0	60	20	95	25	205	155
2019	4,970	4,595	375	145	230	0	0	15	55	10	60	20	5	60	30	100	20	210	165
2020	4,915	4,545	370	135	235	5	5	15	60	10	60	15	5	55	25	95	20	200	170
2021	4,915	4,535	380	145	240	5	5	15	50	5	60	25	5	55	30	110	20	205	180
2022	4,940	4,515	425	160	260	5	0	10	55	15	70	25	10	60	35	120	25	210	180
2023	4,960	4,495	460	165	295	10	0	20	60	10	65	25	5	70	35	140	25	220	215
2024	5,000	4,500	505	195	310	10	0	15	60	10	65	25	5	100	35	155	25	–	–
2025	4,955	4,480	475	170	305	10	0	15	55	15	65	20	5	80	35	155	20	–	–
2026	5,025	4,475	555	240	315	10	0	15	50	15	60	25	5	150	25	170	20	–	–

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