Province

Limburg: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the province of Limburg had 1,138,400 residents. 26.6% of them (302,465 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 Europe (5.5%), Germany (5.4%) and other Asia (4.1%). 59.2% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.8 percentage points.

Residents: 1,138,400 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 26.6% 302,465 people
Born abroad: 59.2% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.8 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

73% 27%

Dutch origin 73.4% 835,885
Migration background 26.6% 302,465

Largest origin groups

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

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

5.5% 62,485 people

Netherlands 5.6%
Germany

5.4% 61,605 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

4.1% 46,355 people

Netherlands 5.3%
Poland

1.9% 21,815 people

Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

1.7% 19,600 people

Netherlands 0.76%
Indonesia

1.6% 18,590 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Morocco

1.5% 17,390 people

Netherlands 2.4%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.5% 16,670 people

Netherlands 2.3%
Turkey

1.3% 14,435 people

Netherlands 2.6%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.1% 12,500 people

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

0.64% 7,230 people

Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.33% 3,700 people

Netherlands 2.0%

First and second generation

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

59% 41%

Born abroad (first generation) 59.2% 179,060
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 40.8% 123,375

Men and women

Men: 567,125
Women: 571,250

Trend since 1998

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

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

26.6%

Limburg
Netherlands

Show as table

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

Municipalities in Limburg

				Largest group
Municipality of Maastricht	39.8%	126,040	+4.5 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Venlo	33.8%	104,200	+3.2 pp	Other Europe
Sittard-Geleen	26.0%	92,445	+2.7 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Heerlen	33.7%	87,760	+3.1 pp	Germany
Municipality of Roermond	34.8%	61,435	+3.4 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Weert	26.3%	51,495	+2.9 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Kerkrade	35.1%	45,825	+2.3 pp	Germany
Peel en Maas	15.9%	45,825	+2.9 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Venray	25.1%	45,100	+2.9 pp	Other Europe
Horst aan de Maas	16.7%	44,820	+3.4 pp	Poland
Municipality of Landgraaf	24.9%	36,850	+1.3 pp	Germany
Leudal	16.9%	36,105	+2.6 pp	Other Europe
Beekdaelen	17.7%	35,900	+1.2 pp	Germany
Echt-Susteren	20.4%	32,385	+2.0 pp	Germany
Municipality of Brunssum	25.7%	27,475	+1.0 pp	Germany
Eijsden-Margraten	17.2%	26,350	+2.5 pp	Belgium
Municipality of Stein	16.6%	24,695	+1.8 pp	Germany
Maasgouw	18.1%	24,375	+2.2 pp	Germany
Roerdalen	20.6%	20,995	+2.3 pp	Germany
Municipality of Meerssen	16.2%	18,460	+2.1 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Gennep	18.9%	17,950	+3.2 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Nederweert	13.5%	17,540	+2.7 pp	Other Europe
Valkenburg aan de Geul	19.1%	16,485	+2.8 pp	Other Europe
Beek	19.6%	16,145	+3.5 pp	Other Europe
Gulpen-Wittem	16.3%	13,940	+1.2 pp	Germany
Municipality of Beesel	19.9%	13,580	+1.9 pp	Germany
Bergen (L.)	17.7%	13,040	+0.9 pp	Germany
Municipality of Voerendaal	16.0%	12,430	+1.4 pp	Germany
Municipality of Simpelveld	21.8%	10,460	+3.0 pp	Germany
Municipality of Vaals	55.5%	10,105	+1.8 pp	Germany
Mook en Middelaar	17.5%	8,190	+2.1 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	1,137,630	920,750	217,010	146,195	70,705	9,115	13,135	2,830	23,670	2,995	98,890	4,350	21,015	21,970	5,560	9,645	3,835	172,720	44,300
1999	1,138,945	920,030	218,950	145,425	73,565	9,515	13,650	2,880	23,530	3,105	97,450	4,500	20,845	22,665	5,875	11,000	4,090	171,885	47,075
2000	1,140,790	920,370	220,580	144,950	75,530	9,815	14,010	2,865	23,335	3,285	95,900	4,495	20,765	23,805	6,200	11,840	4,220	171,260	49,255
2001	1,142,395	920,175	222,145	144,450	77,800	10,215	14,460	2,935	23,135	3,430	94,120	4,685	20,575	25,095	6,685	12,790	4,250	170,455	51,765
2002	1,143,075	919,180	223,890	143,430	80,355	10,680	15,070	2,925	23,010	3,625	92,465	4,740	20,440	25,810	7,105	13,575	4,430	169,575	54,285
2003	1,141,780	917,545	224,165	142,005	82,285	11,000	15,590	2,950	22,780	3,615	90,710	4,855	20,125	26,325	7,730	14,010	4,690	167,740	56,420
2004	1,139,205	915,155	224,010	140,605	83,355	11,340	16,005	3,020	22,580	3,615	88,995	4,940	19,970	26,720	7,770	14,395	4,735	166,250	57,805
2005	1,136,430	913,705	222,835	138,705	84,140	11,595	16,275	2,925	22,300	3,540	87,160	5,225	19,720	26,640	7,810	14,710	5,045	164,235	58,580
2006	1,131,760	910,145	221,610	137,360	84,140	11,810	16,485	2,985	22,130	3,485	85,685	5,515	19,505	26,685	7,615	14,685	5,010	162,555	59,035
2007	1,127,555	907,250	220,340	136,070	84,220	11,855	16,515	2,980	21,910	3,460	84,130	5,750	19,240	26,970	7,600	14,755	5,235	161,235	59,065
2008	1,123,470	903,815	219,690	135,515	84,170	11,875	16,505	3,005	21,600	3,510	82,690	6,290	19,025	27,535	7,600	14,970	5,180	160,165	59,445
2009	1,122,255	901,480	220,820	135,455	85,360	12,045	16,455	3,020	21,370	3,625	81,480	6,855	18,875	28,260	7,940	15,610	5,355	160,105	60,700
2010	1,122,225	899,560	222,640	135,610	86,990	12,075	16,640	3,085	21,210	3,715	80,530	7,355	18,815	28,925	8,375	16,410	5,560	160,165	62,500
2011	1,121,880	897,145	224,695	136,540	88,165	12,130	16,730	3,070	20,985	3,725	79,880	8,095	18,725	29,875	8,725	16,960	5,915	161,030	63,770
2012	1,122,280	894,505	227,805	138,185	89,635	12,200	16,710	3,010	20,845	3,875	79,100	9,100	18,645	31,355	9,045	17,675	6,375	162,615	65,120
2013	1,120,905	891,405	229,590	138,685	90,830	12,240	16,825	3,170	20,670	3,975	77,995	9,865	18,495	32,360	9,025	18,350	6,655	163,240	66,270
2014	1,119,155	887,770	231,385	139,020	92,365	12,245	16,965	3,115	20,535	4,090	76,680	10,745	18,390	33,210	9,555	18,985	6,935	163,460	67,925
2015	1,117,555	884,240	233,315	139,155	94,155	12,180	17,025	3,150	20,305	4,120	75,240	11,680	18,300	33,945	9,880	20,425	7,140	163,465	69,835
2016	1,115,920	880,285	235,635	139,165	96,465	12,120	16,970	3,155	20,115	4,240	73,820	12,365	18,210	34,775	10,165	22,445	7,300	163,360	72,295
2017	1,117,280	876,925	240,355	139,635	100,730	12,180	16,985	3,170	19,935	4,400	72,505	13,270	18,150	35,725	10,700	25,570	7,845	163,990	76,390
2018	1,117,130	873,500	243,630	140,580	103,040	12,190	16,975	3,205	19,720	4,520	71,285	14,105	18,090	37,100	11,150	27,000	8,320	164,980	78,635
2019	1,116,095	869,705	246,390	141,700	104,695	12,260	16,915	3,220	19,530	4,740	69,795	15,155	18,055	38,700	11,535	27,935	8,620	165,925	80,460
2020	1,117,165	866,195	250,970	143,660	107,300	12,405	17,000	3,230	19,355	5,045	68,590	16,365	18,055	40,655	11,985	29,260	9,080	167,975	82,985
2021	1,115,835	862,765	253,070	145,015	108,055	12,510	17,060	3,255	19,125	5,335	67,360	17,440	18,115	42,115	12,445	29,800	8,580	168,495	84,600
2022	1,118,175	852,620	265,575	149,025	116,430	12,740	17,045	3,340	19,445	6,000	67,210	18,505	19,895	43,385	13,370	34,280	10,360	170,540	87,575
2023	1,128,380	849,260	279,005	157,680	121,345	13,085	17,240	3,420	19,355	6,555	65,955	20,040	19,835	51,840	14,015	36,950	10,835	179,255	92,285
2024	1,133,240	845,050	288,120	161,660	126,535	13,605	17,300	3,435	19,110	6,840	64,690	21,140	19,790	55,990	14,850	39,900	11,415	–	–
2025	1,135,295	840,320	295,015	163,730	131,290	13,965	17,285	3,555	18,870	7,115	63,160	21,650	19,695	59,230	15,650	42,900	11,830	–	–
2026	1,138,400	835,885	302,465	165,540	136,980	14,435	17,390	3,700	18,590	7,230	61,605	21,815	19,600	62,485	16,670	46,355	12,500	–	–

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