Municipality · Zeeland

Municipality of Middelburg: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Middelburg had 50,440 residents. 24.1% of them (12,155 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is about the same as Zeeland (23.8%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (5.2%), other Asia (4.6%) and Indonesia (2.7%). 58.2% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 3.1 percentage points.

Residents: 50,440 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 24.1% 12,155 people
Born abroad: 58.2% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +3.1 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

76% 24%

Dutch origin 75.9% 38,285
Migration background 24.1% 12,155

Largest origin groups

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

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

5.2% 2,600 people

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

4.6% 2,330 people

Zeeland 3.4% Netherlands 5.3%
Indonesia

2.7% 1,350 people

Zeeland 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

2.2% 1,085 people

Zeeland 1.6% Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

2.0% 1,010 people

Zeeland 1.0% Netherlands 2.6%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.6% 790 people

Zeeland 1.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Germany

1.5% 740 people

Zeeland 1.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Belgium

1.4% 700 people

Zeeland 5.8% Netherlands 0.76%
Suriname

1.0% 510 people

Zeeland 0.67% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.78% 395 people

Zeeland 0.67% Netherlands 1.1%
Poland

0.65% 330 people

Zeeland 1.3% Netherlands 1.4%
Morocco

0.61% 310 people

Zeeland 0.64% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

58% 42%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.2% 7,075
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.8% 5,080

Men and women

Men: 24,655
Women: 25,780

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Middelburg 24.1%

Higher than 72% 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

24.1%

Municipality of Middelburg
Zeeland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Municipality of Middelburg	Zeeland	Netherlands
1998	13.7%	13.5%	16.7%
1999	14.0%	13.7%	17.1%
2000	14.3%	13.9%	17.5%
2001	15.0%	14.3%	18.0%
2002	15.3%	14.5%	18.4%
2003	15.6%	14.7%	18.8%
2004	15.8%	14.8%	19.0%
2005	16.1%	14.9%	19.2%
2006	16.2%	14.9%	19.3%
2007	16.4%	15.0%	19.4%
2008	16.3%	15.1%	19.6%
2009	16.5%	15.3%	19.9%
2010	17.0%	15.5%	20.3%
2011	17.2%	15.7%	20.6%
2012	16.8%	16.0%	20.9%
2013	16.6%	16.2%	21.1%
2014	16.8%	16.5%	21.4%
2015	17.0%	16.8%	21.7%
2016	17.7%	17.2%	22.1%
2017	18.0%	17.6%	22.6%
2018	18.4%	18.1%	23.1%
2019	18.8%	18.5%	23.6%
2020	19.4%	18.9%	24.2%
2021	19.7%	19.3%	24.6%
2022	21.0%	21.1%	26.0%
2023	22.5%	22.1%	27.1%
2024	23.3%	22.8%	27.9%
2025	23.7%	23.3%	28.5%
2026	24.1%	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 Middelburg

				Largest group
Middelburg	26.5%	43,905	+3.3 pp	Other Europe
Arnemuiden	7.6%	5,155	+0.4 pp	Other Europe
Nieuw- en Sint Joosland	10.1%	1,380	+0.1 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	44,435	38,355	6,085	1,980	4,100	690	210	410	1,585	165	625	55	475	825	300	530	210	3,685	2,390
1999	44,470	38,240	6,240	2,000	4,265	695	215	415	1,575	165	625	65	470	840	330	620	250	3,695	2,535
2000	44,915	38,500	6,420	2,050	4,345	690	230	435	1,585	190	635	60	465	890	345	655	215	3,745	2,675
2001	45,430	38,605	6,820	2,210	4,615	735	220	435	1,580	170	635	55	480	1,040	465	775	235	3,915	2,915
2002	45,600	38,640	6,960	2,250	4,705	770	230	445	1,580	175	620	55	475	1,100	495	785	225	3,965	2,995
2003	46,210	38,985	7,210	2,310	4,910	795	240	465	1,605	180	645	50	470	1,145	575	785	270	4,055	3,155
2004	46,355	39,005	7,345	2,340	5,015	820	230	460	1,600	170	655	55	460	1,170	680	800	260	4,075	3,250
2005	46,545	39,050	7,500	2,420	5,050	835	235	485	1,580	195	650	70	460	1,240	685	785	250	4,145	3,330
2006	46,965	39,385	7,590	2,495	5,065	815	250	495	1,555	210	660	75	465	1,295	660	820	265	4,195	3,370
2007	47,270	39,520	7,760	2,590	5,165	825	235	495	1,555	240	700	95	470	1,325	635	865	320	4,295	3,450
2008	47,325	39,595	7,730	2,580	5,145	830	235	505	1,535	220	690	100	470	1,320	625	885	310	4,280	3,445
2009	47,560	39,715	7,845	2,605	5,230	855	235	505	1,540	225	730	135	480	1,260	600	950	320	4,295	3,555
2010	47,985	39,830	8,160	2,690	5,435	880	245	500	1,520	260	755	140	500	1,295	765	930	340	4,400	3,760
2011	48,030	39,785	8,250	2,750	5,480	885	270	490	1,525	255	755	130	520	1,345	730	955	375	4,430	3,805
2012	47,765	39,725	8,025	2,780	5,250	870	255	510	1,490	275	735	145	520	1,380	585	885	385	4,450	3,615
2013	47,520	39,650	7,880	2,780	5,095	880	255	510	1,505	260	735	145	550	1,355	505	780	405	4,460	3,410
2014	47,645	39,650	7,995	2,835	5,160	870	255	505	1,490	290	720	145	525	1,445	525	835	395	4,515	3,480
2015	47,615	39,505	8,110	2,875	5,230	875	270	525	1,470	280	720	160	530	1,465	545	855	415	4,560	3,550
2016	47,875	39,420	8,455	2,950	5,500	880	280	525	1,465	300	735	170	540	1,505	610	995	445	4,630	3,830
2017	48,015	39,350	8,665	3,010	5,660	890	265	505	1,460	295	740	180	560	1,530	605	1,210	430	4,675	4,000
2018	48,305	39,395	8,910	3,090	5,815	910	265	505	1,425	300	725	185	585	1,595	670	1,275	470	4,740	4,165
2019	48,545	39,410	9,135	3,200	5,935	900	265	510	1,420	310	715	200	590	1,695	725	1,305	500	4,830	4,305
2020	48,820	39,370	9,450	3,290	6,165	925	275	500	1,405	350	730	235	600	1,730	805	1,355	550	4,935	4,520
2021	48,965	39,335	9,630	3,415	6,215	930	275	475	1,405	355	735	245	585	1,855	815	1,385	575	5,055	4,575
2022	49,200	38,840	10,355	3,585	6,765	955	270	515	1,435	365	765	260	685	1,875	905	1,665	670	5,185	4,750
2023	49,950	38,720	11,225	4,110	7,090	1,000	275	485	1,400	390	775	310	700	2,330	975	1,825	750	5,705	5,100
2024	50,000	38,380	11,630	4,250	7,380	990	310	500	1,375	405	775	335	695	2,435	990	2,040	765	–	–
2025	50,150	38,275	11,865	4,340	7,525	1,000	315	515	1,365	395	770	335	690	2,550	1,025	2,140	780	–	–
2026	50,440	38,285	12,155	4,375	7,785	1,010	310	510	1,350	395	740	330	700	2,600	1,085	2,330	790	–	–

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