Municipality · Gelderland

Municipality of West Maas en Waal: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of West Maas en Waal had 20,845 residents. 12.5% of them (2,610 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than Gelderland (19.8%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Europe (2.8%), other Asia (2.4%) and Poland (1.6%). 58.6% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 3.0 percentage points.

Residents: 20,845 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 12.5% 2,610 people
Born abroad: 58.6% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +3.0 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

87%

Dutch origin 87.5% 18,235
Migration background 12.5% 2,610

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of West Maas en Waal. For comparison, the line marks Gelderland and the circle the Netherlands.

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

2.8% 580 people

Gelderland 3.5% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.4% 495 people

Gelderland 4.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Poland

1.6% 330 people

Gelderland 0.83% Netherlands 1.4%
Germany

1.5% 315 people

Gelderland 2.0% Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.0% 205 people

Gelderland 1.9% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.0% 200 people

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

0.62% 130 people

Gelderland 1.1% Netherlands 1.7%
Turkey

0.38% 80 people

Gelderland 2.1% Netherlands 2.6%
Belgium

0.38% 80 people

Gelderland 0.34% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.36% 75 people

Gelderland 1.1% Netherlands 2.4%
Suriname

0.31% 65 people

Gelderland 0.62% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.31% 65 people

Gelderland 0.63% Netherlands 1.1%

First and second generation

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

59% 41%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.6% 1,530
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.4% 1,080

Men and women

Men: 10,490
Women: 10,350

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% West Maas en Waal 12.5%

Higher than 19% 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

12.5%

West Maas en Waal
Gelderland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	West Maas en Waal	Gelderland	Netherlands
1998	5.1%	12.2%	16.7%
1999	5.2%	12.5%	17.1%
2000	5.3%	12.7%	17.5%
2001	5.4%	13.0%	18.0%
2002	5.4%	13.3%	18.4%
2003	5.4%	13.6%	18.8%
2004	5.5%	13.7%	19.0%
2005	5.7%	13.7%	19.2%
2006	5.6%	13.7%	19.3%
2007	5.5%	13.7%	19.4%
2008	5.6%	13.8%	19.6%
2009	5.7%	14.0%	19.9%
2010	5.9%	14.2%	20.3%
2011	6.2%	14.2%	20.6%
2012	6.2%	14.4%	20.9%
2013	6.5%	14.5%	21.1%
2014	6.7%	14.5%	21.4%
2015	7.0%	14.7%	21.7%
2016	7.4%	15.0%	22.1%
2017	7.5%	15.3%	22.6%
2018	7.8%	15.6%	23.1%
2019	8.1%	15.9%	23.6%
2020	8.5%	16.3%	24.2%
2021	8.7%	16.5%	24.6%
2022	9.6%	17.6%	26.0%
2023	10.8%	18.5%	27.1%
2024	11.6%	18.9%	27.9%
2025	12.1%	19.4%	28.5%
2026	12.5%	19.8%	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 West Maas en Waal

				Largest group
Beneden-Leeuwen	11.4%	7,555	+2.4 pp	Other Asia
Dreumel	12.0%	3,550	+1.9 pp	Poland
Wamel	13.0%	2,695	+4.5 pp	Other Europe
Boven-Leeuwen	11.9%	2,315	+2.3 pp	Other Europe
Alphen (West Maas en Waal)	13.3%	1,800	+2.6 pp	Other Europe
Maasbommel	11.9%	1,430	+1.6 pp	Other Europe
Appeltern	16.2%	865	+5.8 pp	Other Europe
Altforst	23.6%	635	+12.8 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	17,905	17,000	910	550	380	25	40	35	160	10	390	10	50	100	30	40	40	750	180
1999	17,930	17,010	930	550	380	10	35	30	160	5	390	10	55	100	25	65	50	745	195
2000	18,080	17,135	965	555	405	15	20	20	165	15	375	20	45	115	35	75	60	750	210
2001	18,185	17,200	975	560	420	15	15	30	165	20	380	5	45	130	45	75	55	755	210
2002	18,245	17,275	980	565	405	10	10	15	165	20	370	20	45	130	30	85	70	755	205
2003	18,205	17,230	980	545	440	10	5	25	160	20	360	15	40	135	50	95	75	750	215
2004	18,240	17,230	995	545	460	20	5	25	165	20	365	20	25	135	40	110	80	750	245
2005	18,310	17,270	1,045	605	450	0	15	30	165	25	365	50	35	155	40	115	60	810	240
2006	18,370	17,335	1,035	585	475	15	25	40	165	25	385	40	30	130	30	120	60	805	240
2007	18,260	17,260	1,000	565	415	15	15	25	180	15	370	30	35	130	40	60	65	790	205
2008	18,330	17,305	1,020	560	450	15	20	35	165	25	365	35	40	120	55	65	70	790	230
2009	18,370	17,335	1,040	590	470	10	15	35	175	25	360	45	40	145	55	90	65	795	250
2010	18,395	17,310	1,085	620	465	15	10	30	195	15	355	45	45	175	65	75	60	820	270
2011	18,310	17,175	1,135	620	490	10	25	35	170	15	350	65	55	150	70	110	55	845	280
2012	18,315	17,185	1,140	625	515	15	10	35	180	10	345	65	60	155	75	120	70	845	290
2013	18,405	17,215	1,205	660	545	20	15	45	170	20	355	115	50	145	70	150	60	900	295
2014	18,420	17,190	1,230	685	545	15	15	45	175	25	335	145	55	150	80	140	50	905	325
2015	18,570	17,265	1,305	735	570	15	10	40	165	30	340	170	55	170	85	165	60	950	355
2016	18,695	17,305	1,390	745	645	20	15	50	185	25	340	180	60	165	95	185	75	985	410
2017	18,810	17,405	1,405	735	675	20	10	40	185	30	335	185	60	155	110	210	70	965	440
2018	18,890	17,420	1,470	785	695	15	25	40	175	25	330	215	60	180	100	240	80	1,015	470
2019	19,075	17,530	1,545	800	735	25	20	50	185	20	315	205	65	215	115	235	90	1,045	505
2020	19,325	17,685	1,640	825	815	30	20	55	175	30	320	215	70	220	130	275	100	1,070	565
2021	19,575	17,865	1,710	865	840	30	30	55	180	35	315	240	60	250	125	285	100	1,090	615
2022	19,675	17,800	1,880	925	940	50	30	55	190	45	325	260	70	260	135	335	115	1,130	625
2023	20,065	17,895	2,160	1,125	1,035	45	45	50	200	60	330	285	75	430	165	360	135	1,355	695
2024	20,330	17,975	2,350	1,200	1,155	60	50	65	205	55	320	285	70	505	175	425	130	–	–
2025	20,600	18,105	2,495	1,245	1,250	70	65	60	210	70	325	300	85	545	180	460	125	–	–
2026	20,845	18,235	2,610	1,295	1,325	80	75	65	205	65	315	330	80	580	200	495	130	–	–

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