City · Zaanstad, North Holland

Zaandam: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Zaandam had 84,460 residents. 52.5% of them (44,370 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Zaanstad (40.6%) and higher than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Turkey (13.0%), other Europe (10.6%) and other Asia (8.0%). 58.4% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 6.2 percentage points.

Residents: 84,460 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 52.5% 44,370 people
Born abroad: 58.4% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +6.2 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

47% 53%

Dutch origin 47.5% 40,085
Migration background 52.5% 44,370

Largest origin groups

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

Turkey

13.0% 10,980 people

Zaanstad 8.7% Netherlands 2.6%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

10.6% 8,935 people

Zaanstad 7.8% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

8.0% 6,720 people

Zaanstad 6.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Suriname

4.5% 3,820 people

Zaanstad 3.8% Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

4.4% 3,740 people

Zaanstad 3.5% Netherlands 2.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

3.8% 3,205 people

Zaanstad 2.8% Netherlands 2.3%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

2.4% 1,995 people

Zaanstad 2.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Indonesia

2.1% 1,770 people

Zaanstad 2.2% Netherlands 1.9%
Germany

1.4% 1,145 people

Zaanstad 1.3% Netherlands 1.9%
Poland

1.3% 1,085 people

Zaanstad 1.1% Netherlands 1.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.82% 695 people

Zaanstad 0.77% Netherlands 1.1%
Belgium

0.30% 250 people

Zaanstad 0.31% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

58% 42%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.4% 25,905
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.6% 18,465

Men and women

Men: 42,470
Women: 41,985

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Zaandam 52.5%

Higher than 99% 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

52.5%

Zaandam
Zaanstad
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Zaandam	Zaanstad	Netherlands
1998	26.6%	20.4%	16.7%
1999	27.3%	20.8%	17.1%
2000	28.0%	21.3%	17.5%
2001	28.6%	21.7%	18.0%
2002	29.6%	22.3%	18.4%
2003	30.2%	23.0%	18.8%
2004	30.7%	23.3%	19.0%
2005	31.3%	23.5%	19.2%
2006	31.9%	24.0%	19.3%
2007	32.6%	24.5%	19.4%
2008	33.4%	25.0%	19.6%
2009	34.2%	25.7%	19.9%
2010	34.9%	26.2%	20.3%
2011	35.6%	26.7%	20.6%
2012	36.5%	27.4%	20.9%
2013	37.1%	27.9%	21.1%
2014	37.7%	28.4%	21.4%
2015	38.4%	28.9%	21.7%
2016	39.4%	29.6%	22.1%
2017	40.5%	30.5%	22.6%
2018	41.6%	31.3%	23.1%
2019	42.7%	32.3%	23.6%
2020	44.0%	33.3%	24.2%
2021	44.9%	34.0%	24.6%
2022	46.3%	35.4%	26.0%
2023	48.5%	37.1%	27.1%
2024	49.8%	38.2%	27.9%
2025	50.9%	39.3%	28.5%
2026	52.5%	40.6%	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 Zaandam

				Largest group
1507 Nieuw West	45.7%	14,910	+9.9 pp	Other Asia
1506 West, Oude Haven	45.7%	14,670	+8.9 pp	Other Europe
1503 Pelders- en Hoornseveld	64.6%	11,375	+3.8 pp	Turkey
1502 Rosmolenwijk	49.8%	9,025	+4.7 pp	Turkey
1504 Poelenburg	76.4%	8,260	+2.7 pp	Turkey
1505 Zuid	64.0%	7,395	+6.8 pp	Turkey
1501 Zuid	43.7%	6,570	+5.5 pp	Other Europe
1509 Noord	23.2%	6,490	+3.2 pp	Other Europe
1508 Kogerveldwijk	62.4%	5,765	+8.3 pp	Turkey

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	71,455	52,470	18,995	3,690	15,290	7,400	510	2,395	2,230	330	1,330	95	140	2,125	960	1,035	430	6,110	12,880
1999	71,525	51,950	19,545	3,710	15,855	7,625	550	2,480	2,175	350	1,290	100	145	2,175	1,035	1,180	460	6,075	13,485
2000	72,040	51,885	20,160	3,795	16,380	7,825	560	2,525	2,150	370	1,310	90	165	2,230	1,100	1,370	480	6,145	14,015
2001	72,100	51,475	20,620	3,840	16,800	7,980	585	2,560	2,150	405	1,310	95	150	2,285	1,160	1,470	490	6,185	14,435
2002	72,415	51,000	21,415	3,925	17,475	8,185	650	2,660	2,165	420	1,315	115	165	2,330	1,270	1,590	535	6,315	15,095
2003	72,060	50,300	21,760	3,975	17,775	8,325	705	2,710	2,150	430	1,310	125	155	2,385	1,325	1,590	540	6,365	15,380
2004	72,365	50,090	22,250	4,075	18,200	8,590	770	2,745	2,140	435	1,305	110	160	2,500	1,345	1,595	580	6,460	15,795
2005	72,120	49,530	22,570	4,110	18,485	8,655	855	2,825	2,125	425	1,285	140	175	2,510	1,360	1,630	610	6,485	16,105
2006	71,840	48,945	22,905	4,130	18,765	8,785	985	2,835	2,115	440	1,285	155	165	2,525	1,345	1,670	590	6,475	16,440
2007	72,040	48,585	23,450	4,215	19,250	8,840	1,140	2,935	2,090	470	1,280	155	170	2,610	1,365	1,800	610	6,530	16,930
2008	72,440	48,250	24,170	4,355	19,805	8,935	1,355	2,995	2,060	480	1,280	240	165	2,670	1,405	1,920	655	6,685	17,495
2009	72,535	47,745	24,795	4,535	20,255	9,080	1,465	2,985	2,035	510	1,285	280	165	2,805	1,495	2,005	680	6,835	17,960
2010	72,575	47,245	25,330	4,695	20,650	9,160	1,605	3,025	2,010	505	1,250	295	180	2,970	1,545	2,070	730	6,985	18,380
2011	72,870	46,940	25,925	4,835	21,100	9,210	1,695	3,090	2,000	550	1,230	400	190	3,015	1,665	2,170	720	7,085	18,845
2012	73,665	46,770	26,910	5,055	21,825	9,350	1,880	3,205	2,030	560	1,240	490	185	3,140	1,705	2,325	770	7,345	19,560
2013	74,525	46,880	27,635	5,285	22,365	9,460	1,995	3,350	2,050	555	1,210	540	180	3,355	1,780	2,370	805	7,570	20,055
2014	74,995	46,700	28,295	5,475	22,820	9,530	2,140	3,400	2,020	575	1,190	630	195	3,460	1,805	2,515	835	7,755	20,530
2015	75,295	46,360	28,935	5,735	23,195	9,525	2,260	3,415	2,010	595	1,190	695	180	3,670	1,895	2,625	870	8,015	20,915
2016	76,055	46,085	29,970	6,065	23,905	9,610	2,405	3,500	1,990	635	1,185	770	185	3,925	1,970	2,885	910	8,335	21,630
2017	76,765	45,655	31,110	6,420	24,685	9,750	2,575	3,600	1,980	645	1,155	820	210	4,235	2,025	3,160	950	8,700	22,410
2018	77,455	45,250	32,205	6,870	25,335	9,885	2,715	3,640	1,955	655	1,150	885	215	4,620	2,075	3,410	1,000	9,120	23,090
2019	78,285	44,820	33,465	7,420	26,045	9,945	2,880	3,680	1,930	690	1,150	965	230	5,075	2,115	3,710	1,095	9,640	23,820
2020	78,830	44,135	34,695	7,885	26,805	10,140	2,985	3,680	1,910	660	1,140	965	220	5,560	2,225	4,010	1,195	10,100	24,580
2021	78,710	43,375	35,335	8,280	27,055	10,190	3,090	3,680	1,865	665	1,120	1,010	215	5,935	2,260	4,040	1,265	10,465	24,860
2022	79,045	42,410	36,635	8,730	27,915	10,260	3,190	3,745	1,880	665	1,160	1,055	240	6,270	2,355	4,410	1,455	10,930	25,335
2023	80,710	41,540	39,165	10,040	29,135	10,535	3,290	3,685	1,820	695	1,180	1,140	245	7,475	2,540	5,050	1,535	12,235	26,565
2024	81,440	40,915	40,530	10,775	29,765	10,615	3,395	3,725	1,825	670	1,195	1,140	250	8,195	2,625	5,195	1,710	–	–
2025	82,400	40,460	41,940	11,210	30,725	10,710	3,545	3,760	1,790	655	1,160	1,095	245	8,700	2,835	5,620	1,830	–	–
2026	84,460	40,085	44,370	11,415	32,960	10,980	3,740	3,820	1,770	695	1,145	1,085	250	8,935	3,205	6,720	1,995	–	–

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