Municipality · Overijssel

Municipality of Zwolle: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Zwolle had 134,140 residents. 21.3% of them (28,615 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than Overijssel (19.3%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (5.3%), other Europe (3.2%) and other Africa (2.2%). 54.8% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.3 percentage points.

Residents: 134,140 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 21.3% 28,615 people
Born abroad: 54.8% 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

79% 21%

Dutch origin 78.7% 105,550
Migration background 21.3% 28,615

Largest origin groups

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

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

5.3% 7,150 people

Overijssel 4.5% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.2% 4,275 people

Overijssel 3.3% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

2.2% 2,950 people

Overijssel 1.3% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

2.1% 2,850 people

Overijssel 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Turkey

2.1% 2,810 people

Overijssel 3.1% Netherlands 2.6%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

1.4% 1,825 people

Overijssel 0.57% Netherlands 1.1%
Germany

1.3% 1,785 people

Overijssel 2.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.3% 1,760 people

Overijssel 1.0% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

1.0% 1,295 people

Overijssel 0.52% Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

0.67% 905 people

Overijssel 0.40% Netherlands 2.4%
Poland

0.44% 595 people

Overijssel 0.73% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

0.30% 400 people

Overijssel 0.20% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

55% 45%

Born abroad (first generation) 54.8% 15,690
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 45.2% 12,920

Men and women

Men: 66,245
Women: 67,915

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Zwolle 21.3%

Higher than 62% 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

21.3%

Municipality of Zwolle
Overijssel
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Municipality of Zwolle	Overijssel	Netherlands
1998	13.1%	12.4%	16.7%
1999	13.4%	12.6%	17.1%
2000	13.7%	12.8%	17.5%
2001	14.1%	13.2%	18.0%
2002	14.4%	13.5%	18.4%
2003	14.7%	13.7%	18.8%
2004	14.8%	13.8%	19.0%
2005	15.0%	13.8%	19.2%
2006	15.0%	13.8%	19.3%
2007	15.0%	13.9%	19.4%
2008	15.1%	13.9%	19.6%
2009	15.3%	14.1%	19.9%
2010	15.5%	14.2%	20.3%
2011	15.6%	14.3%	20.6%
2012	15.7%	14.4%	20.9%
2013	15.7%	14.4%	21.1%
2014	15.8%	14.5%	21.4%
2015	15.8%	14.6%	21.7%
2016	16.0%	14.8%	22.1%
2017	16.4%	15.0%	22.6%
2018	16.7%	15.3%	23.1%
2019	17.0%	15.5%	23.6%
2020	17.4%	15.8%	24.2%
2021	17.6%	16.1%	24.6%
2022	19.0%	17.1%	26.0%
2023	20.0%	17.9%	27.1%
2024	20.4%	18.3%	27.9%
2025	20.9%	18.8%	28.5%
2026	21.3%	19.3%	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 Zwolle

				Largest group
Zwolle	21.3%	134,140	+2.3 pp	Other Asia

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	102,560	89,100	13,445	3,285	10,195	1,955	500	1,000	3,165	915	1,700	85	180	1,320	450	1,775	435	6,695	6,745
1999	104,375	90,355	14,020	3,380	10,625	2,010	505	1,025	3,170	965	1,715	110	170	1,390	535	1,965	450	6,795	7,235
2000	105,720	91,220	14,510	3,515	11,000	2,080	520	1,050	3,170	995	1,745	110	165	1,495	615	2,055	515	6,935	7,590
2001	106,970	91,895	15,030	3,565	11,480	2,155	550	1,100	3,170	1,100	1,725	130	195	1,515	705	2,205	500	7,060	7,985
2002	108,980	93,280	15,685	3,705	12,010	2,245	575	1,090	3,170	1,225	1,750	90	195	1,670	820	2,345	540	7,180	8,520
2003	109,925	93,775	16,175	3,745	12,440	2,295	585	1,120	3,160	1,290	1,755	125	205	1,660	940	2,425	625	7,280	8,910
2004	110,865	94,415	16,455	3,845	12,605	2,355	605	1,100	3,130	1,335	1,750	140	210	1,745	1,005	2,440	640	7,310	9,110
2005	111,895	95,175	16,735	3,875	12,805	2,395	590	1,145	3,085	1,360	1,770	145	245	1,715	1,055	2,545	635	7,330	9,410
2006	113,075	96,115	16,980	3,930	13,100	2,470	625	1,150	3,100	1,350	1,785	160	230	1,755	1,055	2,625	735	7,385	9,595
2007	114,635	97,415	17,205	4,020	13,195	2,490	635	1,165	3,095	1,365	1,775	170	235	1,845	1,065	2,650	735	7,480	9,710
2008	116,360	98,745	17,625	4,220	13,445	2,530	675	1,175	3,060	1,380	1,770	235	235	1,985	1,120	2,745	765	7,690	9,960
2009	117,690	99,625	18,055	4,330	13,745	2,525	655	1,170	3,085	1,445	1,775	270	225	2,065	1,200	2,840	825	7,780	10,305
2010	119,030	100,610	18,415	4,390	14,040	2,550	680	1,160	3,080	1,500	1,745	315	245	2,085	1,310	2,955	815	7,855	10,550
2011	120,345	101,570	18,795	4,570	14,185	2,540	695	1,190	3,055	1,515	1,725	345	265	2,235	1,335	3,020	835	8,015	10,775
2012	121,525	102,440	19,090	4,660	14,440	2,530	695	1,225	3,040	1,520	1,760	365	240	2,295	1,390	3,150	890	8,070	11,020
2013	122,575	103,340	19,255	4,685	14,585	2,550	715	1,235	3,005	1,545	1,720	380	245	2,340	1,420	3,220	900	8,115	11,140
2014	123,155	103,755	19,400	4,770	14,630	2,510	720	1,240	3,015	1,525	1,730	395	255	2,395	1,425	3,285	920	8,200	11,205
2015	123,855	104,225	19,630	4,795	14,835	2,505	715	1,235	2,990	1,525	1,750	390	245	2,410	1,495	3,390	980	8,215	11,415
2016	124,890	104,880	20,010	4,910	15,100	2,505	710	1,245	2,965	1,535	1,750	390	260	2,510	1,535	3,615	995	8,295	11,710
2017	125,545	104,990	20,555	4,975	15,580	2,510	725	1,240	2,960	1,550	1,765	400	255	2,555	1,675	3,920	1,005	8,375	12,185
2018	126,120	105,025	21,095	5,090	16,005	2,490	755	1,240	2,950	1,560	1,780	405	270	2,635	1,790	4,145	1,075	8,495	12,600
2019	127,500	105,770	21,730	5,200	16,530	2,535	770	1,250	2,950	1,620	1,810	405	275	2,710	1,920	4,375	1,120	8,615	13,110
2020	128,835	106,430	22,405	5,435	16,970	2,565	805	1,265	2,930	1,655	1,830	420	290	2,895	2,075	4,540	1,140	8,820	13,585
2021	129,845	106,960	22,885	5,425	17,450	2,580	840	1,285	2,920	1,705	1,830	430	300	2,865	2,210	4,705	1,205	8,820	14,060
2022	130,655	105,835	24,840	5,820	19,025	2,650	870	1,300	3,010	1,820	1,885	500	370	3,055	2,455	5,375	1,550	9,070	14,545
2023	132,400	105,975	26,420	6,655	19,740	2,685	870	1,280	2,985	1,835	1,890	515	375	3,860	2,560	5,880	1,595	9,955	15,200
2024	133,140	105,990	27,150	6,760	20,395	2,745	910	1,295	2,930	1,805	1,840	540	380	3,980	2,675	6,335	1,660	–	–
2025	133,815	105,830	27,970	6,865	21,130	2,785	890	1,315	2,885	1,845	1,795	580	380	4,090	2,795	6,830	1,730	–	–
2026	134,140	105,550	28,615	7,065	21,555	2,810	905	1,295	2,850	1,825	1,785	595	400	4,275	2,950	7,150	1,760	–	–

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