Exploring Affluence at the Neighbourhood Level in the Netherlands

Why Neighbourhood-Level Income Data Matters

While province- and municipality-level statistics are useful, they often hide important local contrasts. Analysing income at the neighbourhood (buurt) scale provides a much clearer picture of how people actually live — where wealth clusters, where services are needed, and where targeted policy or commercial interventions will have greatest effect.

• Policy & planning: Identify pockets of deprivation for targeted social or housing policy.
• Business decisions: Optimise retail catchments, store openings and marketing with precise local demand signals.
• Real estate & investment: Assess micro-markets and local price drivers that municipal averages miss.

The Most Affluent Neighbourhoods

Across the Netherlands, there are more than 100 neighbourhoods where average household income exceeds €80,000. These neighbourhoods tend to share a number of characteristics — but each municipality retains a distinct local profile.

Gooise Meren

Ten neighbourhoods — including Bredius-West, Lomanplein, Schimmellaan, Boslaan, Koedijk, Fransekamp, Naarderwoonbos, and Bos van Bredius-Noord — rank among the wealthiest. The Gooi region’s appeal as a green, prestigious commuter area between Amsterdam and Utrecht explains much of this concentration. The municipality combines historic villas, proximity to Hilversum’s media hub, and lakeside living, making it one of the Netherlands’ most desirable residential areas.

Bloemendaal

Five neighbourhoods appear among the wealthiest, including Aerdenhout-Centrum. This area is known for spacious estates, tree-lined avenues, and coastal seclusion near the dunes. Its proximity to Haarlem and Amsterdam allows affluent professionals to enjoy a quiet residential lifestyle with fast access to major cities and the coast.

Wassenaar

Neighbourhoods such as Nieuw-Wassenaar and Oud-Clingendaal reflect Wassenaar’s diplomatic and international character. Home to ambassadors, executives, and international institutions, Wassenaar blends classic villas, private schools, and green parkland with a cosmopolitan feel close to The Hague.

Amsterdam

Twelve Amsterdam neighbourhoods are in the top income band: Vijzelstraatbuurt, Willemsparkbuurt-Noord, Valeriusbuurt-Oost, Cornelis Schuytbuurt, Concertgebouwbuurt, Hondecoeterbuurt, Johannes Vermeerbuurt, Minervabuurt-Noord, Minervabuurt-Midden, Beethovenbuurt, Diepenbrockbuurt, Zuidas-Zuid and Buitenveldert-West-Midden. These areas cluster around Amsterdam-Zuid, the Zuidas business district, and the Museum Quarter, offering high-end apartments, exclusive boutiques, and international schools. The combination of cultural prestige and business proximity sustains some of the highest property prices in the country.

Common Patterns Among Affluent Neighbourhoods

• Proximity to major urban centres or business districts (Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht).
• Low population density, detached or semi-detached housing and large plots.
• High levels of education and professional employment.
• Strong local amenities: international schools, parks, private healthcare and leisure facilities.

The Least Affluent Neighbourhoods

At the other end of the scale, more than 60 neighbourhoods have average household income below €23,000. These tend to be student-heavy zones, social housing districts, or industrial/transitional areas experiencing redevelopment.

Wageningen

Seven low-income neighbourhoods — including Wageningen Campus en Droevendaal and Binnenstad — reflect the large student population at Wageningen University, which lowers average household incomes. Despite low income levels, these areas have high educational attainment and a vibrant, youthful atmosphere with strong rental markets.

Delft

Neighbourhoods such as Sint Joris, Biesland, Krakeelpolder, TU-Noord and TU-Campus are shaped by the presence of TU Delft. Student housing, short-term rentals, and industrial spaces in transition contribute to low recorded incomes, though local purchasing power is often buoyed by the academic community.

Tilburg

Neighbourhoods like Broekhoven I West, Universiteit Campus and Bokhamer West show a mix of student residences and social housing. Tilburg’s industrial restructuring over the past decades has led to local disparities, though the city is increasingly investing in urban renewal projects and creative industry zones.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam also contains 11 neighbourhoods in the lowest income band: Coenhaven, Vlothaven, Minervahaven-Noordoost, Minervahaven-Noordwest, Minervahaven-Zuidwest, Minervahaven-Zuidoost, Sloterdijk Poort-Noord, Medisch Centrum Slotervaart, Riekerhaven, Parooldriehoek, Baaibuurt-West, Baaibuurt-Oost, Science Park-Zuid, Sportpark Middenmeer-Noord and D-buurt. These are primarily industrial or transitional districts, many undergoing redevelopment or hosting temporary housing for students and migrant workers. In several, income levels are low but rising due to urban transformation near Zuidas and Amsterdam-East.

Municipalities with the Largest Internal Disparities

Some municipalities show very large differences between their richest and poorest neighbourhoods — notably Amsterdam, Wageningen, Utrecht, Helmond, Maastricht, Enschede, Arnhem, Delft, Groningen and Tilburg.

• Higher education: Cities with major universities often have both wealthy residential areas and low-income student districts.
• Urban redevelopment: Industrial or port areas in transition can create sharp local contrasts.
• Commuter dynamics: High-income commuters reside in exclusive suburbs while lower-income households concentrate in inner-city or peripheral zones.

Concluding Thoughts

Neighbourhood-level income indicators give stakeholders the power to act with much greater precision. Whether the goal is to design equitable public policy, choose the right retail location, or understand local housing demand, micro-level income data exposes the real geography of prosperity and deprivation.

To explore these neighbourhood-level income indicators in more detail, download the dataset from Geolocet:
👉 Netherlands Income Indicators by Neighbourhood (Buurt)

Note: Underlying source data is from CBS. Geolocet has modelled 2024 incomes to provide up-to-date estimates at the neighbourhood level.