Municipality · Limburg

Municipality of Sittard-Geleen: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Sittard-Geleen had 92,445 residents. 26.0% of them (24,015 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is about the same as Limburg (26.6%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (5.0%), Germany (4.9%) and other Asia (4.1%). 52.1% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.7 percentage points.

Residents: 92,445 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 26.0% 24,015 people
Born abroad: 52.1% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.7 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

74% 26%

Dutch origin 74.0% 68,445
Migration background 26.0% 24,015

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Sittard-Geleen. For comparison, the line marks Limburg and the circle the Netherlands.

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

5.0% 4,645 people

Limburg 5.5% Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

4.9% 4,560 people

Limburg 5.4% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

4.1% 3,750 people

Limburg 4.1% Netherlands 5.3%
Indonesia

2.5% 2,345 people

Limburg 1.6% Netherlands 1.9%
Belgium

2.0% 1,840 people

Limburg 1.7% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

1.9% 1,740 people

Limburg 1.5% Netherlands 2.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.8% 1,685 people

Limburg 1.5% Netherlands 2.3%
Poland

1.1% 1,030 people

Limburg 1.9% Netherlands 1.4%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.94% 865 people

Limburg 1.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Turkey

0.69% 640 people

Limburg 1.3% Netherlands 2.6%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.61% 560 people

Limburg 0.64% Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.39% 360 people

Limburg 0.33% Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

52% 48%

Born abroad (first generation) 52.1% 12,520
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 47.8% 11,480

Men and women

Men: 46,090
Women: 46,350

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Sittard-Geleen 26.0%

Higher than 78% 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

26.0%

Sittard-Geleen
Limburg
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Sittard-Geleen	Limburg	Netherlands
1998	21.2%	19.1%	16.7%
1999	21.3%	19.2%	17.1%
2000	21.4%	19.3%	17.5%
2001	21.4%	19.4%	18.0%
2002	21.5%	19.6%	18.4%
2003	21.5%	19.6%	18.8%
2004	21.5%	19.7%	19.0%
2005	21.5%	19.6%	19.2%
2006	21.5%	19.6%	19.3%
2007	21.2%	19.5%	19.4%
2008	21.3%	19.6%	19.6%
2009	21.3%	19.7%	19.9%
2010	21.2%	19.8%	20.3%
2011	21.2%	20.0%	20.6%
2012	21.3%	20.3%	20.9%
2013	21.2%	20.5%	21.1%
2014	21.2%	20.7%	21.4%
2015	21.3%	20.9%	21.7%
2016	21.6%	21.1%	22.1%
2017	21.8%	21.5%	22.6%
2018	21.9%	21.8%	23.1%
2019	22.2%	22.1%	23.6%
2020	22.4%	22.5%	24.2%
2021	22.5%	22.7%	24.6%
2022	23.3%	23.8%	26.0%
2023	24.1%	24.7%	27.1%
2024	25.0%	25.4%	27.9%
2025	25.4%	26.0%	28.5%
2026	26.0%	26.6%	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).

Cities and villages in Sittard-Geleen

				Largest group
Sittard	28.8%	37,680	+3.7 pp	Other Europe
Geleen	29.3%	31,195	+2.3 pp	Other Europe
Born	21.2%	6,060	+3.7 pp	Other Europe
Munstergeleen	17.5%	4,475	+0.9 pp	Germany
Limbricht	15.3%	2,580	+1.7 pp	Germany
Grevenbicht	14.8%	2,295	+1.6 pp	Germany
Buchten	17.2%	1,980	−0.1 pp	Germany
Obbicht	14.7%	1,700	+1.8 pp	Germany
Einighausen	15.6%	1,315	+0.8 pp	Germany
Guttecoven	12.2%	1,185	−1.1 pp	Germany
Holtum	14.3%	1,150	+1.4 pp	Germany
Papenhoven	11.6%	730	−1.0 pp	Germany
Windraak	20.0%	100	+4.2 pp	Indonesia

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	97,985	77,195	20,805	12,915	7,855	360	1,650	275	3,415	230	8,080	525	1,905	2,405	700	925	300	16,545	4,235
1999	98,275	77,380	20,910	12,840	8,065	390	1,690	270	3,385	245	7,940	535	1,920	2,445	735	1,055	300	16,430	4,470
2000	98,390	77,390	21,030	12,795	8,230	395	1,695	295	3,325	270	7,830	525	1,910	2,530	820	1,115	315	16,320	4,720
2001	97,925	76,910	20,975	12,730	8,250	415	1,735	290	3,255	255	7,725	530	1,925	2,550	860	1,105	340	16,185	4,805
2002	97,930	76,875	21,050	12,560	8,495	450	1,815	275	3,225	285	7,555	535	1,900	2,570	905	1,195	350	15,995	5,025
2003	97,800	76,785	21,000	12,400	8,635	460	1,870	310	3,185	310	7,460	525	1,860	2,555	915	1,250	355	15,785	5,195
2004	97,455	76,500	20,955	12,285	8,645	475	1,870	310	3,140	300	7,350	535	1,835	2,565	935	1,300	320	15,660	5,320
2005	97,010	76,190	20,855	12,090	8,765	495	1,920	310	3,130	285	7,150	545	1,820	2,575	905	1,350	380	15,430	5,415
2006	96,620	75,880	20,725	12,005	8,705	500	1,940	280	3,105	280	7,030	545	1,815	2,615	850	1,370	400	15,325	5,385
2007	96,225	75,765	20,435	11,830	8,590	490	1,940	315	3,070	275	6,905	535	1,790	2,600	810	1,320	380	15,110	5,330
2008	95,670	75,310	20,365	11,775	8,615	505	1,920	290	3,005	265	6,815	555	1,760	2,645	835	1,380	415	15,015	5,330
2009	95,280	75,035	20,255	11,690	8,540	530	1,870	295	2,960	265	6,680	555	1,755	2,700	825	1,410	385	14,885	5,355
2010	95,085	74,915	20,165	11,615	8,570	530	1,885	310	2,950	255	6,550	565	1,755	2,745	855	1,405	385	14,760	5,405
2011	94,510	74,485	20,035	11,485	8,555	520	1,905	295	2,875	255	6,425	565	1,720	2,775	810	1,480	420	14,605	5,425
2012	94,190	74,145	20,065	11,420	8,630	530	1,855	290	2,855	245	6,290	585	1,730	2,815	810	1,615	435	14,520	5,530
2013	93,645	73,765	19,895	11,275	8,610	545	1,840	295	2,815	250	6,185	575	1,705	2,815	835	1,590	440	14,350	5,545
2014	93,285	73,500	19,785	11,210	8,575	535	1,850	305	2,790	260	6,055	620	1,695	2,840	820	1,615	405	14,225	5,560
2015	93,455	73,540	19,915	11,160	8,760	535	1,870	315	2,750	260	5,940	640	1,685	2,895	880	1,725	425	14,145	5,765
2016	93,325	73,175	20,150	11,120	9,030	545	1,895	315	2,740	280	5,800	665	1,680	2,975	905	1,925	425	14,090	6,060
2017	93,120	72,865	20,255	11,050	9,205	545	1,850	315	2,710	295	5,655	680	1,660	3,055	1,000	2,050	440	13,990	6,270
2018	92,945	72,550	20,395	11,005	9,385	540	1,810	325	2,685	305	5,505	710	1,665	3,125	1,040	2,220	460	13,930	6,470
2019	92,660	72,105	20,555	11,010	9,545	540	1,800	320	2,640	310	5,405	710	1,660	3,235	1,130	2,315	500	13,900	6,655
2020	92,425	71,735	20,690	10,995	9,695	535	1,805	325	2,590	325	5,230	765	1,670	3,330	1,200	2,395	525	13,825	6,865
2021	91,745	71,140	20,605	10,880	9,720	545	1,785	325	2,520	345	5,065	790	1,675	3,350	1,245	2,420	540	13,645	6,960
2022	91,700	70,370	21,325	10,990	10,330	555	1,730	335	2,520	415	5,025	810	1,880	3,270	1,315	2,830	695	13,590	7,130
2023	92,230	70,000	22,215	11,430	10,765	570	1,730	330	2,505	445	4,910	850	1,920	3,750	1,390	3,095	725	14,035	7,535
2024	92,640	69,515	23,125	11,740	11,390	590	1,775	355	2,440	470	4,830	960	1,840	4,100	1,490	3,490	780	–	–
2025	92,495	69,015	23,460	11,870	11,605	600	1,755	355	2,385	540	4,690	990	1,860	4,340	1,555	3,585	815	–	–
2026	92,445	68,445	24,015	12,055	11,940	640	1,740	360	2,345	560	4,560	1,030	1,840	4,645	1,685	3,750	865	–	–

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