Municipality · Groningen

Municipality of Westerwolde: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Westerwolde had 25,265 residents. 13.0% of them (3,280 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than Groningen (20.7%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Germany (3.1%), other Asia (2.5%) and other Europe (2.4%). 60.8% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has fallen by 3.3 percentage points.

Residents: 25,265 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 13.0% 3,280 people
Born abroad: 60.8% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: −3.3 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

87%

Dutch origin 87.0% 21,990
Migration background 13.0% 3,280

Largest origin groups

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

Germany

3.1% 795 people

Groningen 2.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

2.5% 625 people

Groningen 4.3% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

2.4% 595 people

Groningen 4.9% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.3% 340 people

Groningen 1.8% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

0.93% 235 people

Groningen 1.6% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.67% 170 people

Groningen 1.5% Netherlands 1.7%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.49% 125 people

Groningen 1.3% Netherlands 1.1%
Poland

0.47% 120 people

Groningen 0.55% Netherlands 1.4%
Suriname

0.38% 95 people

Groningen 1.0% Netherlands 2.0%
Turkey

0.36% 90 people

Groningen 1.0% Netherlands 2.6%
Belgium

0.20% 50 people

Groningen 0.25% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.10% 25 people

Groningen 0.33% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

61% 39%

Born abroad (first generation) 60.8% 1,995
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 38.9% 1,275

Men and women

Men: 12,740
Women: 12,535

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Westerwolde 13.0%

Higher than 21% 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

13.0%

Westerwolde
Groningen
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Westerwolde	Groningen	Netherlands
1998	8.1%	10.3%	16.7%
1999	8.2%	10.6%	17.1%
2000	8.3%	10.9%	17.5%
2001	8.8%	11.4%	18.0%
2002	8.7%	11.9%	18.4%
2003	8.7%	12.2%	18.8%
2004	10.0%	12.3%	19.0%
2005	8.9%	12.3%	19.2%
2006	9.8%	12.3%	19.3%
2007	9.2%	12.3%	19.4%
2008	8.5%	12.4%	19.6%
2009	8.3%	12.6%	19.9%
2010	8.8%	12.9%	20.3%
2011	9.8%	13.3%	20.6%
2012	9.7%	13.5%	20.9%
2013	8.9%	13.7%	21.1%
2014	8.8%	14.0%	21.4%
2015	10.8%	14.3%	21.7%
2016	11.7%	14.7%	22.1%
2017	9.9%	15.0%	22.6%
2018	9.4%	15.4%	23.1%
2019	11.4%	16.0%	23.6%
2020	13.0%	16.5%	24.2%
2021	14.3%	16.8%	24.6%
2022	16.3%	18.2%	26.0%
2023	16.2%	19.3%	27.1%
2024	16.5%	19.9%	27.9%
2025	19.6%	20.5%	28.5%
2026	13.0%	20.7%	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 Westerwolde

				Largest group
Ter Apel	15.5%	8,705	−11.5 pp	Other Asia
Vlagtwedde	9.8%	3,465	+1.0 pp	Germany
Bellingwolde	19.9%	3,440	+6.3 pp	Other Europe
Blijham	11.0%	2,595	+1.1 pp	Germany
Sellingen	7.5%	2,390	+0.9 pp	Germany
Wedde	8.9%	1,240	+0.4 pp	Germany
Vriescheloo	10.2%	985	+1.4 pp	Germany
Ter Apelkanaal	7.2%	975	+1.7 pp	Germany
Bourtange	11.8%	680	+1.5 pp	Germany
Veelerveen	10.6%	615	±0.0 pp	Germany
Oudeschans	8.6%	175	±0.0 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	25,575	23,505	2,075	1,590	485	10	10	40	155	15	1,250	65	20	255	65	145	45	1,780	300
1999	25,750	23,620	2,120	1,575	535	10	0	35	180	15	1,240	65	45	225	80	160	65	1,785	335
2000	25,925	23,765	2,155	1,580	575	10	15	45	175	25	1,245	85	35	220	70	195	45	1,800	350
2001	26,140	23,845	2,295	1,690	630	15	10	55	180	20	1,230	70	25	365	120	185	50	1,890	405
2002	26,280	24,000	2,275	1,645	635	20	10	50	180	20	1,240	80	35	290	140	155	65	1,865	425
2003	26,335	24,045	2,280	1,630	645	10	10	60	170	25	1,205	75	40	310	160	180	50	1,830	450
2004	26,680	24,035	2,660	1,670	975	30	5	55	155	25	1,205	95	40	330	365	285	65	1,885	765
2005	26,210	23,895	2,330	1,650	675	10	10	65	175	10	1,185	85	35	345	190	170	50	1,870	480
2006	26,350	23,780	2,570	1,645	905	15	10	55	155	5	1,145	75	35	390	275	350	40	1,845	725
2007	26,105	23,700	2,405	1,570	830	30	15	65	175	15	1,105	100	30	335	210	260	65	1,775	635
2008	25,815	23,615	2,200	1,525	685	25	10	50	165	10	1,095	80	30	320	155	205	70	1,705	475
2009	25,545	23,430	2,110	1,470	650	35	10	55	175	25	1,085	95	25	265	120	175	60	1,685	435
2010	25,525	23,275	2,235	1,425	830	35	25	60	175	15	1,065	80	30	255	215	250	60	1,645	590
2011	25,685	23,165	2,525	1,460	1,070	40	20	75	185	10	1,040	80	40	300	300	360	90	1,685	840
2012	25,545	23,060	2,475	1,470	1,000	30	30	75	180	35	1,025	80	45	320	265	360	40	1,685	810
2013	25,120	22,875	2,240	1,450	765	40	20	70	195	35	985	85	40	340	170	185	65	1,680	545
2014	24,820	22,640	2,180	1,415	770	30	25	60	190	20	975	90	35	315	180	200	65	1,635	540
2015	25,365	22,620	2,745	1,400	1,345	30	20	60	185	20	960	95	40	305	405	565	70	1,620	1,120
2016	25,390	22,430	2,960	1,375	1,590	30	25	60	190	25	935	90	40	310	530	665	70	1,600	1,365
2017	24,835	22,385	2,450	1,345	1,090	40	20	60	185	30	925	80	45	295	280	395	85	1,570	870
2018	24,685	22,370	2,315	1,320	995	40	15	70	190	20	880	105	35	300	210	385	65	1,555	765
2019	25,195	22,330	2,865	1,350	1,520	55	20	65	190	35	855	105	40	350	410	675	80	1,580	1,285
2020	25,730	22,395	3,335	1,330	2,010	120	20	75	190	40	855	95	40	340	625	860	90	1,575	1,775
2021	26,220	22,470	3,750	1,360	2,385	85	15	80	190	60	870	100	35	355	705	1,125	130	1,605	2,140
2022	26,570	22,260	4,320	1,415	2,915	125	25	95	220	80	875	115	45	370	705	1,530	150	1,655	2,520
2023	26,530	22,230	4,305	1,555	2,765	145	25	80	220	90	865	125	50	510	635	1,395	150	1,780	2,375
2024	26,465	22,100	4,370	1,600	2,765	190	20	85	240	115	850	115	50	585	515	1,425	175	–	–
2025	27,420	22,025	5,385	1,590	3,805	255	20	95	230	115	825	120	50	595	775	2,100	200	–	–
2026	25,265	21,990	3,280	1,570	1,705	90	25	95	235	125	795	120	50	595	340	625	170	–	–

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