Groningen: population and official figures

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Groningen: Households in Groningen had on average €49,300 a year to spend after tax and benefits in 2024 (2nd lowest among the 31 large municipalities covered here; national average €61,600), up 28% from €38,400 in 2019.
• Health in Groningen: The nearest GP practice was on average 0.9 km by road from home for residents of Groningen in 2025, below the national figure of 1.1 km; that is 11th longest among the 31 large municipalities covered here.
• Education in Groningen: In 2024, 44.8% of people aged 15 to 74 in Groningen had completed hbo or university, 6th highest among the 31 large municipalities covered here, up from 42.6% in 2019.
• Poverty and living standards in Groningen: The average WOZ value of a home in Groningen, the official valuation used for property tax, was €346,000 in 2026, below the national figure of €439,000, up 66% from €208,000 in 2020; that is 7th lowest among the 31 large municipalities covered here.
• Government and politics in Groningen: In the EU's 2023 survey of quality of life in European cities, 20% of residents of Groningen agreed that there is corruption in their local public administration.

Who runs Groningen?

In the Netherlands, cities and towns are run by municipalities: 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

Cities of a similar size in the Netherlands

• Rotterdam 1,264,220
• Amsterdam 1,059,596
• s-Gravenhage 804,675
• Utrecht 466,865
• Eindhoven 290,147
• Haarlem 285,886
• Leiden 272,764
• Tilburg 227,707
• Alkmaar 225,138
• Almere 222,825
• Heerlen-Kerkrade 197,599
• Breda 186,438
• Nijmegen 182,480
• Arnhem 180,884
• Apeldoorn 167,191
• Ede 162,972

Up a level: all cities in the Netherlands · the Netherlands · government and power

Sources

• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctour: Urban Audit: culture and tourism (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 235d13e6125c…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_cpop1: Urban Audit: population on 1 January by age groups and sex (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0ef23d60abc9…)
• Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS): Regionale kerncijfers Nederland (table 70072ned): provinces, COROP areas and selected municipalities, 2014-2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d2b63aac3a26…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clivcon: Urban Audit: living conditions (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bc58ab68d418…)
• Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS): Geregistreerde misdrijven en verdachten; soort misdrijf, regio (table 83648NED): police-recorded crime by province and municipality, 2015-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 301a92d5d72f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_cfermor: Urban Audit: fertility and mortality (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd2b301d78c2…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clma: Urban Audit: labour market (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 be050965f9c6…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_percep: Quality of life in European cities survey 2023: perception (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81bd3e277f3e…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctran: Urban Audit: transport (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e74aa07496…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ceduc: Urban Audit: education (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af187c7040a4…)

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