Municipality · Zeeland

Municipality of Hulst: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Hulst had 27,370 residents. 33.7% of them (9,230 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than Zeeland (23.8%) and higher than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Belgium (21.9%), other Europe (3.4%) and other Asia (2.4%). 66.5% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.3 percentage points.

Residents: 27,370 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 33.7% 9,230 people
Born abroad: 66.5% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.3 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

66% 34%

Dutch origin 66.3% 18,140
Migration background 33.7% 9,230

Largest origin groups

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

Belgium

21.9% 6,000 people

Zeeland 5.8% Netherlands 0.76%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.4% 930 people

Zeeland 4.9% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.4% 650 people

Zeeland 3.4% Netherlands 5.3%
Germany

1.2% 340 people

Zeeland 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Poland

1.1% 310 people

Zeeland 1.3% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.1% 290 people

Zeeland 1.6% Netherlands 2.3%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.71% 195 people

Zeeland 1.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Indonesia

0.69% 190 people

Zeeland 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Turkey

0.37% 100 people

Zeeland 1.0% Netherlands 2.6%
Morocco

0.27% 75 people

Zeeland 0.64% Netherlands 2.4%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.24% 65 people

Zeeland 0.67% Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.20% 55 people

Zeeland 0.67% Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

66% 34%

Born abroad (first generation) 66.5% 6,135
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 33.6% 3,100

Men and women

Men: 13,725
Women: 13,655

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Hulst 33.7%

Higher than 89% 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

33.7%

Municipality of Hulst
Zeeland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Municipality of Hulst	Zeeland	Netherlands
1998	22.0%	13.5%	16.7%
1999	22.3%	13.7%	17.1%
2000	22.6%	13.9%	17.5%
2001	23.0%	14.3%	18.0%
2002	23.0%	14.5%	18.4%
2003	23.1%	14.7%	18.8%
2004	23.0%	14.8%	19.0%
2005	23.0%	14.9%	19.2%
2006	22.9%	14.9%	19.3%
2007	23.1%	15.0%	19.4%
2008	23.2%	15.1%	19.6%
2009	23.4%	15.3%	19.9%
2010	23.4%	15.5%	20.3%
2011	23.6%	15.7%	20.6%
2012	24.1%	16.0%	20.9%
2013	24.6%	16.2%	21.1%
2014	25.3%	16.5%	21.4%
2015	25.9%	16.8%	21.7%
2016	26.3%	17.2%	22.1%
2017	26.9%	17.6%	22.6%
2018	27.5%	18.1%	23.1%
2019	28.3%	18.5%	23.6%
2020	28.7%	18.9%	24.2%
2021	29.3%	19.3%	24.6%
2022	31.5%	21.1%	26.0%
2023	32.2%	22.1%	27.1%
2024	32.8%	22.8%	27.9%
2025	33.5%	23.3%	28.5%
2026	33.7%	23.8%	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 Hulst

				Largest group
Hulst	32.1%	10,870	+2.9 pp	Belgium
Kloosterzande	21.5%	3,210	+3.1 pp	Belgium
Sint Jansteen	35.6%	3,170	+2.0 pp	Belgium
Clinge	49.0%	2,355	+2.8 pp	Belgium
Vogelwaarde	21.5%	1,765	+1.7 pp	Belgium
Heikant	39.5%	1,215	+1.0 pp	Belgium
Nieuw Namen	72.3%	975	−0.6 pp	Belgium
Graauw	35.6%	900	−1.7 pp	Belgium
Hengstdijk	24.4%	655	+0.5 pp	Belgium
Lamswaarde	33.9%	560	+1.5 pp	Belgium
Terhole	29.3%	460	+0.5 pp	Belgium
Walsoorden	23.3%	365	+3.9 pp	Belgium
Kapellebrug	48.6%	350	+1.2 pp	Belgium
Ossenisse	30.4%	280	+1.8 pp	Belgium
Kuitaart	25.0%	240	+0.5 pp	Belgium

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	27,425	21,405	6,030	5,370	670	40	45	30	165	40	325	65	4,580	400	85	185	95	5,615	410
1999	27,485	21,340	6,135	5,445	705	45	40	35	170	35	300	70	4,605	475	90	195	110	5,705	440
2000	27,470	21,285	6,200	5,495	680	30	45	25	165	40	310	75	4,665	445	80	195	105	5,745	465
2001	27,655	21,320	6,355	5,620	735	45	50	35	185	35	335	65	4,765	455	105	180	110	5,865	475
2002	27,845	21,435	6,410	5,675	740	45	45	40	180	30	330	65	4,810	475	115	185	115	5,940	475
2003	27,890	21,455	6,430	5,685	745	45	50	25	195	30	335	95	4,835	420	100	200	105	5,950	480
2004	27,880	21,450	6,410	5,685	720	35	50	30	190	30	340	75	4,785	485	80	195	115	5,940	465
2005	27,875	21,460	6,415	5,685	745	35	50	45	190	30	345	100	4,765	475	85	215	100	5,940	475
2006	27,895	21,505	6,400	5,615	795	50	55	40	180	25	340	95	4,715	470	85	255	110	5,875	525
2007	28,020	21,525	6,475	5,665	825	40	55	35	185	30	330	105	4,720	510	90	260	135	5,930	550
2008	27,935	21,470	6,480	5,650	835	50	65	40	205	30	345	125	4,705	475	100	230	125	5,920	555
2009	27,895	21,355	6,520	5,680	835	50	70	45	190	30	345	140	4,710	485	115	230	125	5,935	585
2010	27,860	21,330	6,530	5,665	840	50	75	60	210	30	355	150	4,680	485	95	230	100	5,935	595
2011	27,720	21,150	6,545	5,705	865	45	70	45	210	30	360	160	4,675	510	115	240	120	5,945	605
2012	27,630	20,980	6,655	5,785	870	60	85	50	195	25	345	180	4,730	530	100	260	100	6,030	630
2013	27,505	20,740	6,775	5,910	895	55	60	30	200	35	350	175	4,850	535	140	265	120	6,145	640
2014	27,390	20,460	6,930	6,015	925	65	85	45	190	25	320	205	4,935	555	150	255	115	6,255	675
2015	27,365	20,290	7,075	6,145	925	55	90	40	185	30	315	200	5,065	565	160	275	100	6,380	695
2016	27,370	20,175	7,195	6,225	980	55	80	50	190	25	315	185	5,140	585	175	305	110	6,465	735
2017	27,395	20,025	7,370	6,350	1,025	60	60	40	195	25	315	200	5,230	605	185	350	115	6,605	770
2018	27,475	19,925	7,550	6,495	1,055	50	70	40	195	25	320	210	5,360	605	170	390	120	6,735	810
2019	27,530	19,750	7,780	6,630	1,155	60	60	40	190	40	325	220	5,465	620	225	410	140	6,895	880
2020	27,555	19,650	7,905	6,740	1,170	55	70	45	190	25	330	230	5,530	650	225	425	145	7,000	905
2021	27,570	19,495	8,075	6,880	1,195	65	85	40	195	35	335	235	5,630	680	220	405	150	7,145	935
2022	27,535	18,880	8,665	7,275	1,380	45	85	50	210	55	355	250	6,020	675	250	500	165	7,255	1,000
2023	27,585	18,700	8,880	7,470	1,415	75	95	65	205	50	340	240	6,055	820	260	500	180	7,445	1,030
2024	27,325	18,370	8,955	7,495	1,470	60	85	45	195	65	330	255	6,060	835	270	540	190	–	–
2025	27,375	18,215	9,165	7,585	1,590	95	80	45	205	65	345	275	6,065	895	280	595	195	–	–
2026	27,370	18,140	9,230	7,560	1,670	100	75	55	190	65	340	310	6,000	930	290	650	195	–	–

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