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Living in Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden is a city in the Netherlands. For Leeuwarden, the unemployment rate was 4.6% at the end of 2024. Its population was 130,162 at the start of 2026.

Higher unemployment than 98% of Dutch cities that publish it, more recorded crime than 93% of Dutch cities that publish it and cleaner air than 96% of Dutch cities that publish it.

Which Netherlands-wide rules apply when you move to Leeuwarden?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in NetherlandsNational rates and thresholds that apply in Leeuwarden.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Leeuwarden. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Leeuwarden recurring monthly costs, € per month€846Private kindergarten€198Utilities, 85 m² flat€70Transport pass€45Internet, 60 Mbps€37Mobile plan, 10 GB€33Fitness club€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly32.84 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited44.98 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly845.9 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant14.43 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB37.12 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Leeuwarden. Jun 2026. Prices in Leeuwarden20Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass69.66 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home198.2 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v221Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Housing Stock Total62,599 dwellings31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Rental Share Pct48 pct31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Leeuwarden?

The unemployment rate is 4.6 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality8

Unemployment across cities in NetherlandsUnemployment in Leeuwarden is 4.6%. Of 337 cities with data, 146 have unemployment of 3 to under 3.5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Netherlands per band1 city: 2% to under 2.5%12–2.5113 cities: 2.5% to under 3%1132.5–3146 cities: 3% to under 3.5%1463–3.551 cities: 3.5% to under 4%513.5–416 cities: 4% to under 4.5%164–4.56 cities: 4.5% to under 5%64.5–5Leeuwarden 4.6%4 cities: 5% to under 5.5%45–5.5

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability98.97 %2025 Q1Percentage of households in the Dutch municipality with access to a fixed internet connection of at least 1 Gbps (1000 Mbit/s); availability, not subscribed plan, measured speed or FTTH-only coverage.16Official
Median Income Eur Year31,200 EUR/year31 Dec 2024CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek4Official
Unemployment rate4.6 %country median 3.1%31 Dec 2024CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality8Official
Unemployment rate over time10 published observations, 2011–2024
Unemployment rate in Leeuwarden by year, %3.5%6.6%9.6%12.7%201120152019202120244.6%%

Unemployment rate fell 24.8% between 2011 and 2024, from 6.1% to 4.6%.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Leeuwarden. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

UWV public employment service — Public employment service

Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen (UWV)

Job Search
Open official service
Open the Netherlands service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Leeuwarden. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Primary School Count27 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official
School Count51 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official

Safety

How safe is Leeuwarden?

Police recorded 5,520 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 5,520 offences per 100,000 · CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249
Recorded crime across major citiesLeeuwarden highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Leeuwarden highlighted8,970Amsterdam8,200Rotterdam7,990Eindhoven6,970Arnhem6,890's-Gravenhage6,800Utrecht6,280Nijmegen6,160Groningen5,870Breda5,560Tilburg5,520Leeuwarden4,280Almererecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents5,520 offences per 100,000country median 3,08031 Dec 2024CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249Official

Mobility and administration

The nearest airport was GRQ, 53.7 km away, with 5 listed destinations in June 2026. Car density was 469.4 vehicles per 1,000 residents at the start of 2025. Gigabit broadband availability was 99% in Q1 2025.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport5 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat14Official
Nearest airportGRQ13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official
Distance to nearest airport53.7 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Leeuwarden. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Blik op Werk integration-provider quality register — Other

Blik op Werk

For integration-course applicants.

DutchIn Person, Online
Open official information

DUO choosing an integration course — State Language Course

Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO)

For people who must integrate.

DutchIn Person
Open official information
Open the full Netherlands section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Leeuwarden.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Leeuwarden?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency11

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Leeuwarden average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND22°0°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Leeuwarden average monthly precipitation, mm0255075100695649395570789482807882JFMAMJJASONDmm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Leeuwarden annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.0PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in NetherlandsAnnual PM2.5 in Leeuwarden is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 50 cities with data, 19 have annual PM2.5 of 9 to under 10 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Netherlands per band2 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³26–711 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³117–8Leeuwarden 7.07 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³78–919 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³199–1010 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³1010–111 city: 11 µg/m³ to under 12 µg/m³111–12

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7 µg/m³country median 9.031 Dec 2025European Environment Agency11Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 5.3 · Feb 5.9 · Mar 9.1 · Apr 13.2 · May 16.5 · Jun 19.1 · Jul 21.4 · Aug 21.6 · Sep 18.5 · Oct 14 · Nov 9.2 · Dec 6.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Leeuwarden_06270.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.5 · Feb 0.3 · Mar 1.9 · Apr 4.2 · May 7.6 · Jun 10.5 · Jul 12.9 · Aug 12.9 · Sep 10.5 · Oct 7.2 · Nov 3.9 · Dec 1.2 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Leeuwarden_06270.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.1 · Feb 3.2 · Mar 5.5 · Apr 8.8 · May 12.2 · Jun 15 · Jul 17.3 · Aug 17.4 · Sep 14.5 · Oct 10.7 · Nov 6.7 · Dec 3.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Leeuwarden_06270.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 68.6 · Feb 55.5 · Mar 49.1 · Apr 39.1 · May 54.5 · Jun 69.9 · Jul 77.7 · Aug 93.7 · Sep 82.3 · Oct 79.6 · Nov 77.9 · Dec 81.5 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Leeuwarden_06270.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time12 published observations, 2013–2025
Annual PM2.5 in Leeuwarden by year, µg/m³5.67.59.511.4201320162018202220257.0µg/m³

Annual PM2.5 fell 30.0% between 2013 and 2025, from 10.0 to 7.0.

Cities of a similar size in Netherlands

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Netherlands cities
Leiden130,328 residentsZoetermeer130,836 residentsZwolle134,147 residentsMaastricht126,026 residentsEde125,331 residentsDordrecht122,991 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 255.1 km² in 2026. Population density was 765 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Leeuwarden?

The published population was 130,162 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Leeuwarden (GM0080)6

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Leeuwarden residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport78%Foreign residents22%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Address Density2,248 addresses/km²27 Aug 2026CBS2Official
Area170.2 km²10 Jun 2026Wikidata (P2046)22Independent · gemeente
Cars per 1,000 residents469.4 cars/1000 residents1 Jan 2025CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population.7Official
City area255.1 km²28 Jan 2026Kadaster BRK Bestuurlijke Gebieden, current municipality boundary polygon in EPSG:28992; area is the polygon area converted from m² to km².13Official
Foreign-resident share6 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat12Official
Foreign residents28,587 people1 Jan 2025CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population.7Official
Population density765 people/km²10 Jun 2026CBS2Official · gemeente
Population130,162 people10 Jun 2026CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Leeuwarden (GM0080)6Official
Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2014–2025
Foreign residents in Leeuwarden by year, residents1,76511,36820,97130,5742014201620202022202528,587residents

Foreign residents rose 630.2% between 2014 and 2025, from 3,915 to 28,587.

International community in Leeuwarden

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Population registered in Dutch municipalities; CBS population on 1 January · 2026-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Born in the Netherlands112,30086.3%
Born outside the Netherlands17,86213.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18

Citizenship

Residents in the Dutch population register; 1 January · 2025-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Totaal129,973100.0%
Nederlands121,32793.3%
Totaal niet-Nederlandse nationaliteit8,6466.7%
Europa (exclusief Nederlands)4,9013.8%
Europese Unie (exclusief Nederlands)3,5912.8%
Buiten-Europa3,5482.7%
Azië2,3641.8%
Azië (exclusief Indonesisch en Turks)2,0341.6%
Midden- en Oost-Europese nat. in de EU1,9071.5%
Oekraïens1,0060.8%
Show 55 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Afrika8320.6%
GIPS-Nationaliteiten in de EU7850.6%
Afrika (exclusief Marokkaans)7280.6%
Syrisch5920.5%
Burger van Bondsrepubliek Duitsland5800.4%
Bulgaars4450.3%
Roemeens4060.3%
Pools3800.3%
Amerika3400.3%
Amerika en Oceanië (exclusief Surinaams)3100.2%
Chinees2810.2%
Hongaars2710.2%
Spaans2500.2%
Italiaans2490.2%
Turks2430.2%
Eritrees2350.2%
Portugees1970.2%
Staatloos / onbekend1970.2%
Iraans1920.1%
Indiaas1900.1%
Iraaks1560.1%
Brits1340.1%
Slowaaks1110.1%
Marokkaans1040.1%
Somalisch1020.1%
Vietnamees1000.1%
Litouws950.1%
Amerikaans910.1%
Grieks890.1%
Indonesisch870.1%
Jemenitisch850.1%
Afghaans820.1%
Belgisch810.1%
Frans760.1%
Lets740.1%
Pakistaans700.1%
Nigeriaans650.1%
Russisch650.1%
Braziliaans570.0%
Zuid-Afrikaans530.0%
Kroatisch500.0%
Oostenrijks450.0%
Iers420.0%
Surinaams420.0%
Egyptisch370.0%
Colombiaans320.0%
Filippijns320.0%
Thais320.0%
Zweeds290.0%
Tsjechisch250.0%
Zuid-Koreaans200.0%
Ghanees150.0%
Japans150.0%
Oceanië120.0%
Canadees120.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source17

Is Leeuwarden a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker34%strong on work, weak on safety · range 26–42%
Skilled employee56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–64%
Student45%strong on education, weak on housing · range 38–52%
Family49%strong on family, weak on cost · range 41–57%
Retirement37%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 27–47%
Foreign residents28,587 people1 Jan 2025Official source · CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population.
Population130,162 people10 Jun 2026Official source · CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Leeuwarden (GM0080)
Gigabit broadband availability98.97 %2025 Q1Official source · Percentage of households in the Dutch municipality with access to a fixed internet connection of at least 1 Gbps (1000 Mbit/s); availability, not subscribed plan, measured speed or FTTH-only coverage.
Unemployment rate4.6 %31 Dec 2024Official source · CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality
PM2.5 — annual mean7 µg/m³31 Dec 2025Official source · European Environment Agency
Area170.2 km²10 Jun 2026Independent source · Wikidata (P2046)
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Avg Download Mbps 2024250 Mbps27 Aug 2026ACM1Official
Avg Woz Value K Eur167 kEUR31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Banen Total75,300 jobs31 Dec 2024CBS — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek5Official
Fttp Nl 5g Availabilitytrue27 Aug 2026ACM1Official
Fttp Nl Avg Pct95 %27 Aug 2026ACM1Official
Owner Occupied Share Pct51 pct31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Universities0 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Leeuwarden under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Leeuwarden?

The published population was 130,162 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Leeuwarden (GM0080).

Is the air quality good in Leeuwarden?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency.

How safe is Leeuwarden?

Police recorded 5,520 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 2024.

What is the unemployment rate in Leeuwarden?

The unemployment rate is 4.6 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality.

How many foreign residents live in Leeuwarden?

28,587 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population..

How much is public transport in Leeuwarden?

A monthly transport pass is 69.66 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2.

Is Leeuwarden a good place to live?

Leeuwarden may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Born in the Netherlands live in Leeuwarden?

The official country of birth distribution records 112,300 people (86.3%) in the source-defined population for 2026-01-01. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Leeuwarden, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/leeuwarden/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_leeuwarden-netherlands-rent-salary-jobs_ebc4fe3d704e,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Leeuwarden, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/leeuwarden/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Leeuwarden, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/leeuwarden/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. ACM acm.nl · checked 2026-06-12
  2. CBS opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
  3. CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-11
  4. CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
  5. CBS — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek CBS · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
  6. CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Leeuwarden (GM0080) CBS · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-14
  7. CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population. opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-15
  8. CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality CBS labour market in figures 2024 · longreads.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-26
  9. CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 2024 CBS StatLine 83648NED · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-26
  10. DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) duo.nl · checked 2026-08-03
Show 12 more sources
  1. European Environment Agency air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  2. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  3. Kadaster BRK Bestuurlijke Gebieden, current municipality boundary polygon in EPSG:28992; area is the polygon area converted from m² to km². api.pdok.nl · checked 2026-07-15
  4. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  5. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  6. Percentage of households in the Dutch municipality with access to a fixed internet connection of at least 1 Gbps (1000 Mbit/s); availability, not subscribed plan, measured speed or FTTH-only coverage. services.arcgis.com · checked 2026-07-15
  7. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) citizenship distribution opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-28
  8. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) country_of_birth opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-29
  9. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Leeuwarden_06270.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  10. Cost of Living in Leeuwarden. Jun 2026. Prices in Leeuwarden numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  11. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  12. Wikidata (P2046) wikidata.org · checked 2026-07-14

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.