Midden-Drenthe

Midden-Drenthe has 34,021 residents in 15,025 households, spread over 17 districts (wijken) and 47 neighbourhoods (buurten). The average WOZ value of a home is €351,000, from €304,000 in Smilde to €513,000 in Nieuweroord. 71% of homes are owner-occupied.

Municipality · 17 districts · 47 neighbourhoods · 998 postcodes · Updated 24 October 2026

34,021residents1 January 2025

€351,000average WOZ home valuevalued 1 Jan 2024

33%green within 500 mpostcode average

32services within 15 minutesmedian postcode

Four maps of Midden-Drenthe.

Every dot is a residential postcode. Each map uses the same colour scale, from lowest to highest.

Green spaceShare of land within 500 m of each postcode that is green space

0%30%+

Everyday servicesEveryday services within a 15-minute walk (1.2 km)

Map of Midden-Drenthe: Everyday services within a 15-minute walk (1.2 km)

<60240+

Home valuesAverage WOZ value per postcode, as a percentage of the municipal average

Map of Midden-Drenthe: Average WOZ value per postcode, as a percentage of the municipal average

<80%160%+

Public transportBus, tram, metro and rail stops within 800 m

Map of Midden-Drenthe: Bus, tram, metro and rail stops within 800 m

<216+

Sources: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Statistics by postcode 2024 (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Statistics Netherlands and Kadaster, District and neighbourhood map 2025 (CC BY 4.0)

All 17 districts at a glance.

Colour shows where each district sits among Midden-Drenthe's districts on that measure, from lowest to highest. Select one for its full report.

District	WOZ value	Owner-occupied	Aged 0–14	Aged 65+	One-person households	Green 500 m	Services 15 min	Crimes per 1,000
Beilen	€343k	65%	14%	26%	33%	29%	65	24.1
Hijken	€383k	85%	16%	19%	25%	43%	13	16.7
Hooghalen	€399k	81%	15%	24%	30%	48%	32	16.1
Wijster	€381k	83%	15%	23%	23%	40%	14	17.2
Spier	€422k	91%	12%	25%	31%	44%	12	51.9
Drijber	€438k	88%	12%	27%	34%	57%	2	32.3
Smilde	€304k	65%	15%	26%	33%	20%	35	15.4
Bovensmilde	€319k	75%	14%	24%	29%	19%	24	11.6
Hoogersmilde	€334k	74%	15%	24%	31%	27%	25	25.5
Westerbork	€367k	69%	11%	35%	32%	36%	56	18.4
Elp	€457k	88%	12%	33%	21%	56%	4	8.9
Witteveen	€369k	78%	13%	26%	26%	35%	4	21.7
Nieuw-Balinge	€346k	81%	15%	23%	30%	52%	14	9.5
Nieuweroord	€513k	87%	17%	21%	22%	15%	1	–
Zwiggelte	€488k	86%	13%	26%	21%	47%	3	26.1
Orvelte	€448k	68%	13%	22%	43%	53%	8	17.8
De Broekstreek	€474k	94%	13%	27%	21%	52%	1	9.1

Sources: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Key figures for districts and neighbourhoods 2025 (CC BY 4.0) · Dutch Police, registered crime by district and neighbourhood, 2024–2025 (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Homes.

The average WOZ value of a home in Midden-Drenthe is €351,000.

14,849homes128 newly built in 2025

88%single-family houses12% flats and apartments

71%owner-occupied22% housing association

6%built in the last ten years4% unoccupied

1,000 m³gas per home per yearaverage

3,030 kWhelectricity per home per yearaverage

6%homes off the gas gridaverage

61%homes with solar panelsaverage

The WOZ value is the official valuation each Dutch municipality sets every year for property tax. It is not a sale price. The averages here use the valuation date of 1 January 2024.

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Key figures for districts and neighbourhoods 2025 (CC BY 4.0)

Income and work.

How households in Midden-Drenthe compare with the national income distribution (reporting year 2024).

33%of households in the lowest 40% nationally

21%in the top 20% nationally

1.8%of residents live below the poverty line

€208,000median household wealth

72.0%of 15 to 75-year-olds in work

27%with a university or higher professional degree

18.0%of workers are self-employed

1.2cars per household

Statistics Netherlands ranks every household in the country by income. In a neighbourhood that matched the national mix exactly, 40% of households would fall in the lowest 40% nationally and 20% in the top 20%. Income on its own says nothing about what a place is like to live in.

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Key figures for districts and neighbourhoods 2024: income, work and education (CC BY 4.0)

Safety.

Police registered 666 crimes in Midden-Drenthe in 2025, 18% fewer than in 2024. That is 19.6 per 1,000 residents.

Driving under the influence72

Other property crime71

Vandalism and criminal damage58

Burglary of homes36

Theft of bicycles and mopeds35

Assault34

Threats21

Theft from vehicles7

Vehicle theft3

Registered crime shows what becomes known to the police, not how safe a place feels, and not every crime is reported. Town centres, shopping areas and the streets around stations have few residents but many visitors, which pushes the rate per 1,000 residents up. The categories above are a selection; the total includes every registered crime.

Source: Dutch Police, registered crime by district and neighbourhood, 2024–2025 (CC BY 4.0)

Everyday distances.

Average distance by road for everyone living in Midden-Drenthe, a not urban area.

Distance to

GP practice2.6 km

Large supermarket2.2 km

Day nursery1.1 km

Primary school1.2 km

Also

Primary schools within 3 km2.3

Primary pupils living here2,610

Secondary pupils living here1,600

Business premises4,320

Residents per km²100

Land area34,062 ha

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Key figures for districts and neighbourhoods 2025 (CC BY 4.0)

Around here.

Photographs taken near Midden-Drenthe, shared on Wikimedia Commons under free licences.

Districts and neighbourhoods of Midden-Drenthe.

Districts and neighbourhoods with their own page, by district.