Municipality · Friesland

Municipality of Heerenveen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Heerenveen had 51,945 residents. 15.7% of them (8,140 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than Friesland (13.7%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.5%), other Europe (3.0%) and other Africa (1.7%). 56.3% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.1 percentage points.

Residents: 51,945 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 15.7% 8,140 people
Born abroad: 56.3% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.1 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 84.4% 43,835
Migration background 15.7% 8,140

Largest origin groups

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

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.5% 1,815 people

Friesland 3.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.0% 1,540 people

Friesland 3.0% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.7% 875 people

Friesland 1.5% Netherlands 2.3%
Germany

1.5% 755 people

Friesland 1.3% Netherlands 1.9%
Turkey

1.1% 595 people

Friesland 0.43% Netherlands 2.6%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.1% 585 people

Friesland 1.0% Netherlands 1.7%
Indonesia

1.1% 575 people

Friesland 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Morocco

0.69% 360 people

Friesland 0.35% Netherlands 2.4%
Suriname

0.64% 335 people

Friesland 0.51% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.59% 305 people

Friesland 0.60% Netherlands 1.1%
Poland

0.40% 210 people

Friesland 0.40% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

0.20% 105 people

Friesland 0.17% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

56% 43%

Born abroad (first generation) 56.3% 4,585
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 43.5% 3,540

Men and women

Men: 25,985
Women: 25,980

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Heerenveen 15.7%

Higher than 35% of all municipalities in the Netherlands

Trend since 1998

Share of residents with a migration background, compared with larger areas.

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

15.7%

Municipality of Heerenveen
Friesland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Municipality of Heerenveen	Friesland	Netherlands
1998	8.8%	7.0%	16.7%
1999	9.0%	7.3%	17.1%
2000	9.1%	7.5%	17.5%
2001	9.8%	7.9%	18.0%
2002	10.3%	8.2%	18.4%
2003	10.4%	8.4%	18.8%
2004	10.7%	8.4%	19.0%
2005	10.2%	8.4%	19.2%
2006	9.9%	8.2%	19.3%
2007	9.9%	8.1%	19.4%
2008	10.2%	8.2%	19.6%
2009	10.3%	8.3%	19.9%
2010	10.5%	8.5%	20.3%
2011	10.5%	8.5%	20.6%
2012	10.7%	8.7%	20.9%
2013	10.7%	8.7%	21.1%
2014	10.7%	8.8%	21.4%
2015	10.9%	9.0%	21.7%
2016	11.1%	9.1%	22.1%
2017	11.4%	9.5%	22.6%
2018	11.6%	9.8%	23.1%
2019	12.0%	10.0%	23.6%
2020	12.3%	10.3%	24.2%
2021	12.4%	10.5%	24.6%
2022	13.5%	11.5%	26.0%
2023	14.4%	12.3%	27.1%
2024	14.8%	12.8%	27.9%
2025	15.2%	13.3%	28.5%
2026	15.7%	13.7%	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).

Cities and villages in Municipality of Heerenveen

				Largest group
Heerenveen	20.6%	32,130	+2.6 pp	Other Asia
Jubbega	5.3%	3,215	+0.2 pp	Germany
Akkrum	10.1%	3,210	+1.7 pp	Other Asia
Aldeboarn	8.3%	1,515	+1.3 pp	Other Europe
Nieuwehorne	4.4%	1,475	±0.0 pp	Germany
Oudeschoot	17.5%	1,400	+4.7 pp	Other Asia
De Knipe	6.3%	1,270	+0.7 pp	Germany
Oranjewoud	7.7%	970	−0.1 pp	Germany
Nes (Heerenveen)	5.2%	960	−0.1 pp	Indonesia
Tjalleberd	6.6%	835	+0.6 pp	Other Asia
Oudehorne	3.6%	830	−0.1 pp	Germany
Hoornsterzwaag	4.2%	825	−0.1 pp	Germany
Mildam	7.3%	685	+0.7 pp	Indonesia
Katlijk	7.4%	605	+0.8 pp	Germany
Luinjeberd	3.6%	420	−1.2 pp	Germany
Bontebok	7.3%	410	+1.4 pp	Germany
Haskerdijken	8.0%	375	+2.9 pp	Germany
Gersloot	5.3%	285	−1.3 pp	Indonesia
Terband	10.2%	245	−1.1 pp	Indonesia
Nieuwebrug	18.2%	165	+3.0 pp	Turkey
Nieuweschoot	12.5%	120	+0.5 pp	Suriname

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	45,375	41,365	4,005	1,445	2,550	375	290	220	590	65	770	45	65	570	325	530	180	2,110	1,865
1999	45,785	41,660	4,125	1,460	2,665	400	300	250	580	70	790	35	45	590	335	550	185	2,145	1,960
2000	46,050	41,840	4,190	1,545	2,670	405	290	260	585	75	795	50	40	660	320	545	195	2,235	1,955
2001	47,020	42,390	4,630	1,665	2,965	440	295	260	610	75	795	50	45	785	410	680	210	2,415	2,240
2002	47,600	42,745	4,880	1,730	3,110	430	315	285	620	115	790	35	30	885	480	705	185	2,460	2,395
2003	48,200	43,145	5,035	1,775	3,230	460	315	270	620	90	800	65	45	870	530	740	220	2,555	2,505
2004	48,745	43,480	5,240	1,840	3,405	480	335	280	610	105	830	55	45	920	545	825	240	2,605	2,650
2005	49,045	44,060	4,980	1,810	3,150	485	315	285	600	135	850	75	55	830	410	690	245	2,560	2,405
2006	49,020	44,170	4,840	1,800	3,060	475	310	285	605	145	850	65	55	840	340	640	270	2,575	2,280
2007	49,175	44,290	4,885	1,795	3,060	495	305	300	625	160	830	80	50	835	335	615	245	2,590	2,325
2008	49,465	44,385	5,070	1,855	3,240	505	320	290	625	165	855	90	50	860	355	670	315	2,620	2,430
2009	49,820	44,665	5,140	1,900	3,250	505	315	290	620	155	850	90	80	885	385	680	310	2,660	2,500
2010	49,900	44,715	5,225	1,930	3,250	510	325	310	605	170	835	75	50	970	380	675	285	2,710	2,510
2011	49,965	44,695	5,245	1,970	3,320	515	330	305	580	165	825	110	65	975	375	740	315	2,710	2,550
2012	50,075	44,740	5,340	1,960	3,370	525	335	280	580	185	810	145	70	945	400	740	335	2,755	2,580
2013	49,890	44,595	5,325	1,960	3,350	525	310	300	590	175	810	125	65	960	455	715	310	2,720	2,580
2014	49,900	44,555	5,345	1,940	3,405	540	325	300	595	165	790	120	65	965	445	725	320	2,710	2,625
2015	50,140	44,665	5,475	1,975	3,510	545	325	305	610	185	790	110	65	1,015	455	760	340	2,735	2,735
2016	50,285	44,700	5,585	1,995	3,600	540	315	300	585	180	765	110	75	1,045	475	860	365	2,760	2,820
2017	50,210	44,500	5,710	2,020	3,700	525	325	295	570	180	755	125	80	1,060	500	975	335	2,765	2,950
2018	50,185	44,350	5,835	2,010	3,820	530	320	315	570	180	750	115	65	1,080	530	1,030	365	2,760	3,080
2019	50,255	44,230	6,025	2,005	4,035	545	320	325	565	195	720	110	90	1,085	565	1,150	380	2,750	3,290
2020	50,490	44,260	6,230	2,055	4,170	550	330	325	550	230	730	125	95	1,105	595	1,210	400	2,800	3,415
2021	50,655	44,375	6,280	2,050	4,235	545	340	325	550	230	715	140	85	1,110	625	1,245	375	2,780	3,490
2022	51,115	44,190	6,925	2,145	4,765	555	310	320	615	285	785	170	90	1,115	715	1,475	505	2,880	3,670
2023	51,640	44,225	7,440	2,455	5,000	585	335	335	625	280	770	155	115	1,420	760	1,570	535	3,190	3,855
2024	51,785	44,105	7,685	2,575	5,105	570	355	325	620	295	785	190	100	1,485	775	1,635	535	–	–
2025	51,865	43,965	7,885	2,585	5,310	580	360	325	605	315	775	180	100	1,515	825	1,720	560	–	–
2026	51,945	43,835	8,140	2,625	5,535	595	360	335	575	305	755	210	105	1,540	875	1,815	585	–	–

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