Zuidwest-Friesland: population, economy and official figures
Zuidwest-Friesland is a COROP region in Friesland (NL), the Netherlands. Zuidwest-Friesland had 142,769 residents on 1 January 2025, 21.5% of Friesland (NL) and 0.79% of the Netherlands; 36th largest of 40 COROP regions in the Netherlands.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Zuidwest-Friesland: GDP per person was 36,300 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 91% of the EU average (134% for the Netherlands); 37th highest of 40 COROP regions in the Netherlands.
- Health in Zuidwest-Friesland: In 2025, people in Zuidwest-Friesland lived an average of 2.1 km from a family doctor (huisarts), the longest among the 40 COROP areas.
- Education in Zuidwest-Friesland: 26.8% of residents aged 15 to 74 in Zuidwest-Friesland held a higher professional (hbo) or university degree in 2024, below the national figure of 33.3%; that is 11th lowest among the 40 COROP areas, up from 23.6% in 2019.
- Poverty and living standards in Zuidwest-Friesland: Homes in Zuidwest-Friesland had an average WOZ value of €363,000 in 2026, 10th lowest among the 40 COROP areas, up 61% from €225,000 in 2020.
- Government budget and revenue in Zuidwest-Friesland: Together, the municipalities in the Zuidwest-Friesland COROP area budgeted €571 million of spending for 2026, or €4,000 per resident, 4th lowest among the 40 COROP areas and below the national figure of €4,832.
Is the population of Zuidwest-Friesland growing?
That is 1.4% more people than in 2015 (140,851).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Zuidwest-Friesland?
There were 162.4 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Zuidwest-Friesland?
The median age was 47.7 years in 2025, against 42.6 for the Netherlands; 9th highest of 40 COROP regions in the Netherlands.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Zuidwest-Friesland?
25.1% of residents were 65 or older and 14.9% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Zuidwest-Friesland?
In 2024 there were 1,202 live births and 1,524 deaths, a natural decrease of 322.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Zuidwest-Friesland?
It covers 1,454 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the population of the Zuidwest-Friesland region?
Zuidwest-Friesland had 142,769 residents on 1 January 2026, up 5.5% from 135,313 ten years earlier.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyAre people moving to Zuidwest-Friesland?
Net migration added 5.2 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -2.3 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from the Netherlands's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other COROP regions in Friesland (NL)
- Noord-Friesland 329,973
- Zuidoost-Friesland 191,480
Up a level: Friesland (NL) · all regions of the Netherlands · how local power works in the Netherlands
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- 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…)
- Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS): Gemeentebegrotingen; baten en lasten naar regio en grootteklasse (table 83641NED): municipal budgets by province and COROP area, 2017-2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 10a8885301a5…)
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