Largest cities in the Netherlands by population
The 31 cities the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2024 lists for the Netherlands: the capital and every city of 100,000 or more, with the latest figure the country reported. The largest is Rotterdam with 1,264,220 people; the capital, Amsterdam, has 1,059,596.
Who runs cities in the Netherlands?
Municipalities (gemeenten, about 342): Municipal council elected every four years (last March 2026); aldermen (wethouders) chosen by the council; mayor appointed by the Crown for six years on the council's recommendation. Social care and youth services, employment support, housing, planning, local roads, public order.
How local power works in the Netherlands · Level 3: local councils worldwide
| # | City | Population | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rotterdam | 1,264,220 | 1 January 2023 |
| 2 | Amsterdam (capital) | 1,059,596 | 1 January 2023 |
| 3 | s-Gravenhage | 804,675 | 1 January 2023 |
| 4 | Utrecht | 466,865 | 1 January 2023 |
| 5 | Eindhoven | 290,147 | 1 January 2023 |
| 6 | Haarlem | 285,886 | 1 January 2023 |
| 7 | Leiden | 272,764 | 1 January 2023 |
| 8 | Groningen | 238,147 | 1 January 2023 |
| 9 | Tilburg | 227,707 | 1 January 2023 |
| 10 | Alkmaar | 225,138 | 1 January 2023 |
| 11 | Almere | 222,825 | 1 January 2023 |
| 12 | Heerlen-Kerkrade | 197,599 | 1 January 2023 |
| 13 | Breda | 186,438 | 1 January 2023 |
| 14 | Nijmegen | 182,480 | 1 January 2023 |
| 15 | Arnhem | 180,884 | 1 January 2023 |
| 16 | Apeldoorn | 167,191 | 1 January 2023 |
| 17 | Ede | 162,972 | 1 January 2023 |
| 18 | Haarlemmermeer | 162,300 | 1 January 2023 |
| 19 | Enschede | 161,235 | 1 January 2023 |
| 20 | Amersfoort | 160,759 | 1 January 2023 |
| 21 | Zaanstad | 159,618 | 1 January 2023 |
| 22 | s-Hertogenbosch | 158,753 | 1 January 2023 |
| 23 | Zwolle | 132,411 | 1 January 2023 |
| 24 | Leeuwarden | 127,073 | 1 January 2023 |
| 25 | Zoetermeer | 126,998 | 1 January 2023 |
| 26 | Maastricht | 122,734 | 1 January 2023 |
| 27 | Sittard-Geleen | 117,006 | 1 January 2023 |
| 28 | Alphen aan den | 114,182 | 1 January 2023 |
| 29 | Nissewaard | 113,190 | 1 January 2023 |
| 30 | Venlo | 103,328 | 1 January 2023 |
| 31 | Deventer | 102,781 | 1 January 2023 |
Countries define a city in different ways (the city proper, or the wider urban area) and report in different years, so cities in different countries are not always comparable.
More on the Netherlands: official statistics · government and power · regions
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
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