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Living in Lelystad

Lelystad is a city in the Netherlands. The unemployment rate was 4.1% at the end of 2024. Lelystad had a population of 85,781 at the start of 2026. For Lelystad, the foreign population count was 33,928 at the start of 2025.

Higher unemployment than 94% of Dutch cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 85% of Dutch cities that publish it.

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

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 Lelystad.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Lelystad yet. Netherlands has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Housing Stock Total33,385 dwellings31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Rental Share Pct36 pct31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Lelystad?

The unemployment rate is 4.1 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality8

Unemployment across cities in NetherlandsUnemployment in Lelystad is 4.1%. 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%164–4.5Lelystad 4.1%6 cities: 4.5% to under 5%64.5–54 cities: 5% to under 5.5%45–5.5

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability99.49 %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 Year33,600 EUR/year31 Dec 2024CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek4Official
Unemployment rate4.1 %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 Lelystad by year, %3.4%5.7%8.1%10.5%201120152019202120244.1%%

Unemployment rate fell 46.7% between 2011 and 2024, from 7.7% to 4.1%.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Lelystad. 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 Lelystad. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Primary School Count35 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official
School Count47 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official

Safety

How safe is Lelystad?

Police recorded 4,730 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: 4,730 offences per 100,000 · CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249
Recorded crime across major citiesLelystad highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Lelystad highlighted8,970Amsterdam8,200Rotterdam7,990Eindhoven6,970Arnhem6,890's-Gravenhage6,800Utrecht6,280Nijmegen6,160Groningen5,870Breda5,560Tilburg4,730Lelystad4,280Almererecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents4,730 offences per 100,000country median 3,08031 Dec 2024CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249Official

Mobility and administration

The nearest airport was AMS, 54 km away, with 232 listed destinations in June 2026. Car density was 474.2 vehicles per 1,000 residents at the start of 2025. Gigabit broadband availability was 99.5% in Q1 2025.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport232 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat14Official
Nearest airportAMS13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official
Distance to nearest airport54 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Lelystad. 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 Lelystad.

Climate and air quality

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Lelystad average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND23°0°Daytime highNight-time low
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Lelystad annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit154013.0PM10µg/m³

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM10 — annual mean13 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — NL PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Biddinghuizen-Kuilweg)11Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 5.7 · Feb 6.5 · Mar 10 · Apr 14.4 · May 18 · Jun 20.4 · Jul 22.6 · Aug 22.5 · Sep 19.1 · Oct 14.4 · Nov 9.5 · Dec 6.2 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station LelystadAp_06269.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.6 · Feb 0.4 · Mar 2 · Apr 4.3 · May 8 · Jun 10.8 · Jul 12.7 · Aug 12.4 · Sep 10.1 · Oct 6.9 · Nov 3.9 · Dec 1.4 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station LelystadAp_06269.csv19Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.2 · Feb 3.5 · Mar 6 · Apr 9.5 · May 13.2 · Jun 15.8 · Jul 17.8 · Aug 17.6 · Sep 14.6 · Oct 10.7 · Nov 6.8 · Dec 3.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station LelystadAp_06269.csv19Official · nearest-station reading

Cities of a similar size in Netherlands

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

All Netherlands cities
Meierijstad85,236 residentsHeerlen87,764 residentsHengelo83,655 residentsNissewaard89,112 residentsSchiedam81,931 residentsSúdwest-Fryslân90,521 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 765.5 km² in 2026. Population density was 112 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Lelystad?

The published population was 85,781 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Lelystad (GM0995)6

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Lelystad residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport60.4%Foreign residents39.6%

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Address Density1,443 addresses/km²27 Aug 2026CBS2Official
Area765.4 km²10 Jun 2026Wikidata (P2046)20Independent · gemeente
Cars per 1,000 residents474.2 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 area765.5 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 share10.4 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat12Official
Foreign residents33,928 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 density112 people/km²10 Jun 2026CBS2Official · gemeente
Population85,781 people10 Jun 2026CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Lelystad (GM0995)6Official
Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2014–2025
Foreign residents in Lelystad by year, residents1,03312,81024,58836,3652014201620202022202533,928residents

Foreign residents rose 877.8% between 2014 and 2025, from 3,470 to 33,928.

International community in Lelystad

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 Netherlands65,42176.3%
Born outside the Netherlands20,36023.7%

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
Totaal84,713100.0%
Nederlands75,45189.1%
Totaal niet-Nederlandse nationaliteit9,26210.9%
Europa (exclusief Nederlands)5,8036.9%
Europese Unie (exclusief Nederlands)4,9765.9%
Midden- en Oost-Europese nat. in de EU3,3654.0%
Buiten-Europa3,3093.9%
Azië2,1782.6%
Pools2,1042.5%
Azië (exclusief Indonesisch en Turks)1,6071.9%
Show 55 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
GIPS-Nationaliteiten in de EU1,1581.4%
Afrika6420.8%
Spaans6180.7%
Oekraïens5320.6%
Turks4950.6%
Indiaas4840.6%
Amerika4770.6%
Afrika (exclusief Marokkaans)4730.6%
Roemeens4170.5%
Bulgaars4000.5%
Syrisch3260.4%
Amerika en Oceanië (exclusief Surinaams)2830.3%
Portugees2480.3%
Italiaans2460.3%
Burger van Bondsrepubliek Duitsland2270.3%
Surinaams2060.2%
Chinees1980.2%
Hongaars1840.2%
Marokkaans1690.2%
Brits1550.2%
Staatloos / onbekend1500.2%
Pakistaans1270.1%
Nigeriaans1020.1%
Litouws1010.1%
Eritrees950.1%
Braziliaans860.1%
Zuid-Afrikaans860.1%
Frans770.1%
Indonesisch760.1%
Iraans760.1%
Belgisch680.1%
Ghanees660.1%
Afghaans580.1%
Amerikaans550.1%
Russisch550.1%
Slowaaks550.1%
Filippijns540.1%
Vietnamees520.1%
Grieks460.1%
Lets460.1%
Iraaks340.0%
Thais340.0%
Iers290.0%
Tsjechisch240.0%
Jemenitisch220.0%
Kroatisch220.0%
Colombiaans200.0%
Egyptisch200.0%
Zweeds160.0%
Oceanië120.0%
Japans120.0%
Oostenrijks120.0%
Canadees110.0%
Somalisch110.0%
Zuid-Koreaans110.0%

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

Is Lelystad 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 worker42%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 33–51%
Skilled employee63%strong on work, weak on safety · range 55–71%
Student52%strong on education, weak on work · range 45–59%
Family55%strong on family, weak on cost · range 47–63%
Retirement39%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 28–50%
Foreign residents33,928 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.
Population85,781 people10 Jun 2026Official source · CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Lelystad (GM0995)
Gigabit broadband availability99.49 %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 rate4.1 %31 Dec 2024Official source · CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality
PM10 — annual mean13 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · EEA air quality statistics — NL PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Biddinghuizen-Kuilweg)
Area765.4 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 Eur211 kEUR31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Banen Total34,400 jobs31 Dec 2024CBS — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek5Official
Fttp Nl 5g Availabilitytrue27 Aug 2026ACM1Official
Fttp Nl Avg Pct95 %27 Aug 2026ACM1Official
Owner Occupied Share Pct64 pct31 Dec 2020CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official
Universities0 count3 Aug 2026DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Lelystad 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 Lelystad?

The published population was 85,781 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Lelystad (GM0995).

How safe is Lelystad?

Police recorded 4,730 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 Lelystad?

The unemployment rate is 4.1 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality.

How many foreign residents live in Lelystad?

33,928 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..

Is Lelystad a good place to live?

Lelystad 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 Lelystad?

The official country of birth distribution records 65,421 people (76.3%) 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). Lelystad, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/lelystad/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_lelystad-netherlands-rent-salary-jobs_e2a7f659875e,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Lelystad, 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/lelystad/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Lelystad, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/lelystad/) — 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 Lelystad (GM0995) 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 10 more sources
  1. EEA air quality statistics — NL PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Biddinghuizen-Kuilweg) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  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 LelystadAp_06269.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  10. 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.