Province

Drenthe: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the province of Drenthe had 508,025 residents. 14.1% of them (71,420 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.3%), other Europe (3.0%) and Germany (1.6%). 58.5% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.5 percentage points.

Residents: 508,025 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 14.1% 71,420 people
Born abroad: 58.5% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.5 pp in share with a migration background

Migration background, share of residents

Share of residents with a migration background per municipality.

Where residents come from

Origin of residents on 1 January 2026, as a share of all residents.

Dutch origin and migration background

86% 14%

Dutch origin 85.9% 436,595
Migration background 14.1% 71,420

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Drenthe. For comparison, the circle marks the Netherlands.

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.3% 16,560 people

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

3.0% 15,135 people

Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

1.6% 8,080 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.5% 7,735 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.4% 7,230 people

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

0.81% 4,100 people

Netherlands 1.7%
Poland

0.56% 2,840 people

Netherlands 1.4%
Turkey

0.52% 2,645 people

Netherlands 2.6%
Suriname

0.42% 2,140 people

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

0.39% 1,980 people

Netherlands 1.1%
Morocco

0.32% 1,650 people

Netherlands 2.4%
Belgium

0.18% 910 people

Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

58% 41%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.5% 41,755
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.4% 29,565

Men and women

Men: 253,625
Women: 254,450

Trend since 1998

Share of residents with a migration background, compared with larger areas.

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

14.1%

Drenthe
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Drenthe	Netherlands
1998	7.8%	16.7%
1999	8.0%	17.1%
2000	8.1%	17.5%
2001	8.4%	18.0%
2002	8.7%	18.4%
2003	8.8%	18.8%
2004	8.7%	19.0%
2005	8.6%	19.2%
2006	8.5%	19.3%
2007	8.6%	19.4%
2008	8.6%	19.6%
2009	8.7%	19.9%
2010	8.9%	20.3%
2011	9.0%	20.6%
2012	9.0%	20.9%
2013	9.1%	21.1%
2014	9.2%	21.4%
2015	9.3%	21.7%
2016	9.5%	22.1%
2017	10.2%	22.6%
2018	10.2%	23.1%
2019	10.3%	23.6%
2020	10.5%	24.2%
2021	10.6%	24.6%
2022	11.6%	26.0%
2023	12.5%	27.1%
2024	13.1%	27.9%
2025	13.7%	28.5%
2026	14.1%	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).

Municipalities in Drenthe

				Largest group
Municipality of Emmen	16.0%	109,880	+2.5 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Assen	20.8%	70,765	+3.1 pp	Other Asia
Municipality of Hoogeveen	15.7%	56,785	+3.3 pp	Other Asia
Municipality of Meppel	17.0%	36,615	+3.4 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Coevorden	11.9%	35,735	+1.6 pp	Other Asia
Municipality of Tynaarlo	12.1%	35,125	+2.0 pp	Other Europe
Midden-Drenthe	10.2%	34,385	+2.0 pp	Other Europe
Noordenveld	10.1%	31,725	+1.6 pp	Other Europe
Borger-Odoorn	9.2%	26,155	+2.1 pp	Other Europe
Aa en Hunze	9.9%	26,075	+2.4 pp	Other Europe
De Wolden	7.7%	24,815	+1.5 pp	Other Europe
Westerveld	9.4%	19,965	+1.7 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	464,695	428,225	36,350	15,720	20,495	1,335	1,035	1,635	8,185	775	9,185	555	585	5,455	1,935	4,310	1,445	24,920	11,375
1999	466,480	429,280	37,175	15,975	21,275	1,365	1,130	1,595	8,190	820	9,230	645	540	5,605	2,015	4,685	1,590	25,170	12,045
2000	469,700	431,835	37,820	16,465	21,370	1,405	1,110	1,605	8,105	880	9,295	610	545	6,070	2,050	4,715	1,615	25,625	12,200
2001	474,330	434,380	39,985	17,340	22,515	1,470	1,135	1,635	8,135	890	9,260	635	585	6,930	2,515	5,240	1,625	26,525	13,475
2002	478,655	437,005	41,570	17,905	23,690	1,575	1,160	1,705	8,100	990	9,320	685	630	7,325	3,040	5,670	1,600	27,065	14,575
2003	481,040	438,890	42,205	17,960	24,120	1,600	1,220	1,700	8,090	1,000	9,255	745	615	7,400	3,410	5,580	1,675	27,150	15,085
2004	482,215	440,170	41,980	17,850	24,220	1,640	1,260	1,715	8,030	1,000	9,215	760	600	7,315	3,250	5,615	1,820	26,945	15,040
2005	483,120	441,820	41,420	17,825	23,595	1,680	1,300	1,730	7,965	1,075	9,170	850	620	7,235	2,895	5,370	1,720	26,850	14,520
2006	484,275	443,240	41,125	17,690	23,465	1,685	1,330	1,745	7,965	1,130	9,145	885	640	7,050	2,655	5,260	1,830	26,710	14,405
2007	486,020	444,370	41,690	17,990	23,845	1,710	1,395	1,750	7,955	1,150	9,170	880	690	7,285	2,675	5,360	1,965	26,960	14,750
2008	487,935	445,820	42,185	18,275	23,835	1,655	1,385	1,820	8,000	1,165	9,385	950	705	7,270	2,785	5,290	1,935	27,335	14,865
2009	489,820	447,000	42,750	18,505	24,280	1,700	1,425	1,785	7,920	1,145	9,515	1,005	750	7,305	2,900	5,530	2,005	27,600	15,220
2010	490,865	447,255	43,600	18,685	24,895	1,720	1,480	1,835	8,020	1,230	9,475	1,140	655	7,500	3,025	5,705	2,070	27,770	15,815
2011	491,345	447,250	44,055	18,805	25,220	1,865	1,450	1,865	7,900	1,195	9,310	1,170	690	7,680	3,185	5,825	2,040	27,785	16,335
2012	490,755	446,475	44,260	18,810	25,435	1,940	1,555	1,865	7,765	1,255	9,160	1,250	670	7,790	3,230	5,945	2,035	27,635	16,570
2013	489,885	445,460	44,430	18,860	25,545	1,800	1,560	1,870	7,745	1,310	9,000	1,380	660	7,890	3,260	6,090	2,050	27,630	16,735
2014	488,950	444,130	44,820	19,005	25,825	1,805	1,520	1,880	7,700	1,285	8,930	1,390	690	8,025	3,465	6,190	2,115	27,730	17,080
2015	488,495	443,150	45,345	19,085	26,265	1,780	1,510	1,905	7,655	1,325	8,770	1,460	705	8,210	3,655	6,440	2,125	27,800	17,565
2016	488,535	441,895	46,640	19,075	27,575	1,815	1,510	1,905	7,595	1,325	8,610	1,540	715	8,250	3,975	7,380	2,195	27,750	18,895
2017	491,760	441,720	50,040	19,080	30,980	1,810	1,545	1,910	7,580	1,355	8,510	1,620	685	8,310	4,450	10,285	2,160	27,715	22,345
2018	492,030	441,685	50,345	19,185	31,180	1,850	1,540	1,885	7,525	1,395	8,415	1,655	730	8,435	5,050	9,790	2,290	27,780	22,555
2019	492,080	441,575	50,505	19,495	31,000	1,870	1,550	1,920	7,530	1,440	8,345	1,825	750	8,635	4,870	9,595	2,320	28,090	22,400
2020	493,590	441,915	51,675	19,780	31,875	1,955	1,590	1,940	7,520	1,485	8,270	1,935	760	8,850	5,105	9,955	2,440	28,430	23,220
2021	494,705	442,390	52,315	19,940	32,380	1,950	1,600	1,975	7,495	1,545	8,125	2,060	745	9,055	5,210	10,160	2,570	28,575	23,725
2022	497,690	439,945	57,760	20,665	37,065	2,095	1,595	2,085	8,020	1,775	8,565	2,265	900	8,935	5,740	12,360	3,395	29,010	25,285
2023	502,025	439,315	62,620	23,920	38,690	2,250	1,690	2,110	7,915	1,880	8,440	2,465	905	12,115	6,045	13,175	3,525	32,455	26,810
2024	504,070	438,000	66,030	25,390	40,660	2,405	1,680	2,075	7,875	1,850	8,340	2,615	885	13,390	6,495	14,325	3,705	–	–
2025	506,435	437,335	69,150	26,410	42,735	2,565	1,670	2,100	7,785	1,955	8,210	2,705	900	14,435	7,010	15,545	3,870	–	–
2026	508,025	436,595	71,420	27,075	44,310	2,645	1,650	2,140	7,735	1,980	8,080	2,840	910	15,135	7,230	16,560	4,100	–	–

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