Proximity to facilities; distances by car, regional
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
This table contains information about the average distances for residents of the Netherlands from their home address to the nearest facilities (e.g. school, GP or library). The table also includes information about the number of facilities located within a certain distance from the residential address. These data are calculated as an average over all persons in the area.
The data are available at different regional levels. The lowest level is the municipality.
From 2022, the calculation of distances from addresses to the (nearest) facilities has been improved: from then on, driving directions are taken into account when determining the routes and distances from addresses to the (nearest) facilities. In previous years, this did not happen or only to a limited extent.
Data available from: 2006
Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final until reporting year 2022.
From reporting year 2023 on, the figures will first be published as preliminary.
Once all variables in a reporting year have been published as preliminary, they will be made final at the next publication moment.
Changes per October 2024
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2021:
Employment: number of jobs
A-U all economic activities
A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
B-F Industry and energy
G-N Commercial services
O-U Non-commercial services
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2022:
Employment: number of jobs
A-U all economic activities
A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
B-F Industry and energy
G-N Commercial services
O-U Non-commercial services
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2023:
Health and wellbeing
GP practices
GP post
Pharmacy
Hospital (incl. outpatient clinic)
Hospital (excl. outpatient clinic)
Retail
Department store
Education
Primary education
Secondary education total
Secondary education Vmbo
Secondary education HAVO/VWO
Traffic and transport
Main highway entrance
Train stations
Important transfer station
Leisure and culture
Artificial ice skating rink
Attraction
Museum
Performing arts
Pop music venue
Other
Fire station
In the current update, the preliminary figures on the proximity of cafeterias for 2023 have been temporarily withdrawn for further research. They will be added again in the next update (spring 2025).
When will new figures be released?
For reporting year 2023, new figures are expected in the spring of 2025.
The data are available at different regional levels. The lowest level is the municipality.
From 2022, the calculation of distances from addresses to the (nearest) facilities has been improved: from then on, driving directions are taken into account when determining the routes and distances from addresses to the (nearest) facilities. In previous years, this did not happen or only to a limited extent.
Data available from: 2006
Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final until reporting year 2022.
From reporting year 2023 on, the figures will first be published as preliminary.
Once all variables in a reporting year have been published as preliminary, they will be made final at the next publication moment.
Changes per October 2024
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2021:
Employment: number of jobs
A-U all economic activities
A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
B-F Industry and energy
G-N Commercial services
O-U Non-commercial services
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2022:
Employment: number of jobs
A-U all economic activities
A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
B-F Industry and energy
G-N Commercial services
O-U Non-commercial services
Data on the following themes were added for the year 2023:
Health and wellbeing
GP practices
GP post
Pharmacy
Hospital (incl. outpatient clinic)
Hospital (excl. outpatient clinic)
Retail
Department store
Education
Primary education
Secondary education total
Secondary education Vmbo
Secondary education HAVO/VWO
Traffic and transport
Main highway entrance
Train stations
Important transfer station
Leisure and culture
Artificial ice skating rink
Attraction
Museum
Performing arts
Pop music venue
Other
Fire station
In the current update, the preliminary figures on the proximity of cafeterias for 2023 have been temporarily withdrawn for further research. They will be added again in the next update (spring 2025).
When will new figures be released?
For reporting year 2023, new figures are expected in the spring of 2025.
Description topics
- Health and wellbeing
- General practice
- Building or space in which one or more general practitioners work (together).
- Distance to GP practice
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest general practice, calculated by road.
As of the reporting year 2020, Statistics Netherlands receives the population of GP practices in a different form than before: the secondary addresses of GP practices are no longer part of the population. Due to this change in the source files, the results from reporting year 2020 are no longer comparable with those of previous years. An analysis for the reporting year 2019 into the effect of omitting the secondary addresses shows that the distance to the nearest general practitioner practice increases by 0.1 km on a national level. At neighbourhood level, the distance can be up to 7 km longer in certain regions.
- Number of GP practices
- The average number of GP practices within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Distance to GP post
- GP post
Place where general practitioners from the region provide evening, night and weekend shifts. A number of GP posts work with alternating shifts.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest GP post, calculated by road.
Up to and including 2012, the distance from a residential address to one of the GP posts in a cluster of alternating shifts was determined as the average of the distances to all GP posts within that cluster.
As of 2013, no information is available anymore about alternating shifts. The distance is then determined from the home address to the nearest GP post, regardless of any alternating shifts.
- Distance to pharmacy
- Pharmacy, including GP office with an in-house pharmacy.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest pharmacy, calculated by road.
- Hospital (incl. outpatient clinic)
- Hospital (including outpatient clinic).
Hospital
Institution for research, treatment and nursing of the sick.
In a hospital, patients can be admitted for more than 24 hours and major operations can be performed.
Outpatient clinic
Location of a hospital where patients who are not bedridden are treated or monitored.
Patients are not admitted for more than 24 hours and no major surgeries are performed.- Distance to hospital
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest hospital, calculated by road.
- Number of hospitals
- The average number of hospitals within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Hospital (excl. outpatient clinic)
- Hospital (excluding outpatient clinic).
Hospital
Institution for research, treatment and nursing of the sick.
In a hospital, patients can be admitted for more than 24 hours and major operations can be performed.
Outpatient clinic
Location of a hospital where patients who are not bedridden are treated or monitored.
Patients are not admitted for more than 24 hours and no major surgeries are performed.- Distance to hospital
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest hospital, calculated by road.
- Number of hospitals
- The average number of hospitals within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Distance to youth health centre
- Institution within youth health care where basic medical care and prevention is provided for all children from 0 to 4 years.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest youth health centre, calculated by road.
From reporting year 2007 no new figures are available for this facility.
- Physiotherapist
- Distance to physiotherapist
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest physiotherapist practice, calculated by road.
As of 2012, the locations have been supplemented with establishments that were previously incorrectly missing from the database. A possible change between 2010 and 2012 in numbers of locations or distance to the nearest location can therefore be (partly) caused by an improvement in the file.
From reporting year 2013 no new figures are available for this facility.
- Number of physiotherapists
- The average number of physiotherapist practices within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
As of 2012, the locations have been supplemented with establishments that were previously incorrectly missing from the database. A possible change between 2010 and 2012 in numbers of locations or distance to the nearest location can therefore be (partly) caused by an improvement in the file.
From reporting year 2013 no new figures are available for this facility.- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Retail
- Grocery stores
- Distance to large supermarket
- Shop with several types of daily items and a minimum surface area of 150 m2.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest large supermarket, calculated by road.
- Number of large supermarkets
- The average number of large supermarkets within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Distance to shop for other daily food
- Greengrocer, bakery, pie shop, tropical shop, chocolate shop, coffee/tea shop, delicatessen, cheese shop, mini supermarket, nut shop, poulterer, health food shop, butcher's shop, liquor store, tobacconist, fishmonger, confectionery shop, night shop, wine shop and hospital shop.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest other shops for daily groceries, calculated by road.
- Number of shops for other daily food
- The average number of other shops for daily groceries within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Department store
- Distance to department store
- Stores employing 50 or more people and meeting the following criteria:
- the products sold belong to eight or more branches, with each branch having a turnover share of more than 5 percent;
- no class has a turnover share of 50 percent or more;
- foodstuffs and tobacco have a turnover share of less than 50 percent.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest department store, calculated by road.
- Number of department stores
- The average number of department stores within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Hospitality
- Cafes, etc.
- Café, coffee house, coffee shop, disco, sex/nightclub and party centre.
- Distance to cafe, etc.
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest cafe, etc., calculated by road.
- Number of cafes etc.
- The average number of cafes and the like within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Cafeterias, etc.
- Fast food restaurant, grill room/shawarma shop, lunch room, pancake house and ice cream parlour.
- Distance to cafeteria, etc.
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest cafeteria, etc., calculated by road.
- Number of cafeterias, etc.
- The average number of cafeterias, etc. within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Restaurants
- Restaurant, cafe-restaurant and takeaway/home delivery.
- Distance to restaurant
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest restaurant, calculated by road.
- Number of restaurants
- The average number of restaurants within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Hotels etc.
- Hotels, hostels and hotel restaurants.
- Distance to hotel, etc.
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest hotel, etc., calculated by road.
- Number of hotels, etc.
- The average number of hotels, etc., within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Childcare
- Daycare centres
- Place where children from 0 to 4 years old are cared for during one or more half-days a week throughout the year. The daycare centre can be used for more than 5 hours per day and for a maximum of 10 half-days per week.
- Distance to daycare centres
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest daycare centre, calculated by road.
- Number of daycare centres
- The average number of daycare centres within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Out-of-school care
- Place where primary school-aged children are cared for before and/or after school, during teacher study and counselling days and during the holidays.
- Distance to out-of-school care
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest out-of-school care facility, calculated by road.
- Number of out-of-school care
- The average number of out-of-school care locations within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Education
- Primary education
- Primary education only includes primary schools as known to the Education Executive Agency (DUO). Special primary education and special schools are not included.
A new method has been used for the figures on education with effect from the reporting year 2018: in the current method, files from the Education Executive Agency (DUO) are used for schools in regular primary education. As a result, the figures from 2018 may differ slightly from previous years.
The figures are for January of the relevant school year.- Distance to school
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest school, calculated by road.
- Number of schools
- The average number of schools in a fixed distance by road, for all inhabitants of a region.
- Within 1 km
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Secondary education
- Schools where students can follow government-funded full-time secondary education. Practical schools and special schools are not included.
Since secondary schools can be VMBO (preparatory secondary vocational education), HAVO (senior general secondary school)/VWO (pre-university education) and VMBO / HAVO / VWO schools, the figures for VMBO and HAVO/VWO do not add up to the total figures for Secondary Education.
The figures are for January of the relevant school year.
A new method has been used for the figures on education with effect from the 2018 reporting year: in the current method, files from the Education Executive Agency (DUO) are used to determine the type of school in secondary education. As a result, the figures from 2018 may differ slightly from previous years.- Secondary education total
- Distance to school
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest school, calculated by road.
- Number of schools
- The average number of schools within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Vmbo
- Preparatory secondary vocational education.
Preparatory secondary vocational education (vmbo) schools where pupils can follow government-funded full-time secondary education.
The figures are for January of the relevant school year.- Distance to school
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest school, calculated by road.
- Number of schools
- The average number of schools within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- HAVO/VWO
- General secondary education (HAVO).
Pre-university education (VWO).
HAVO/VWO schools where pupils can follow government-funded full-time secondary education.
The figures are for January of the relevant school year.- Distance to school
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest school, calculated by road.
- Number of schools
- The average number of schools within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 3 km
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Employment: number of jobs
- A job is an explicit or implicit employment contract between a person and an economic unit that stipulates that work will be performed for which there is a (financial) reward.
The average number of jobs within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.- A-U all economic activities
- All economic activities
This category is a combination of categories:
A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
B Extraction of minerals
C Industry
D Production, distribution and trade of electricity, natural gas, steam and cooled air
E Water extraction and distribution; waste and wastewater management and remediation
F Construction
G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars
H Transport and storage
I Lodging, meal and beverage provision
J Information and communication
K Financial institutions
L Real estate rental and trade
M Consulting, research and other specialist business services
N Rental of movable property and other business services
O Public administration, government services and compulsory social insurance
P Education
Q Health and welfare care
R Culture, sport and recreation
S Other services
T Households as employers; undifferentiated production of goods and services by households for own use
U Extraterritorial organizations and bodies
As of the reporting year 2017, a new source file has been used, in which the industry is not known for all jobs. These jobs with industry unknown do count in the figures for A-U all economic activities. As a result, the figures for A-U all economic activities do not correspond to the sum of the figures for categories A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries, B-F Industry and energy, G-N Commercial services and O-U Non-commercial services.- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- A Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing
This section includes:
- exploitation of natural plant and animal resources:
including arable farming, livestock breeding and the production of other plants and animals on an agricultural holding or in the natural habitat;
including forestry, timber cultivation and hunting;
including specific wage services related to the production process agriculture, hunting and forestry are also classified in this section;
including fishing: catching or breeding fish, crustaceans and molluscs.- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- B-F Industry and energy
- Industry and energy
This category is a combination of categories:
B Extraction of minerals
C Industry
D Production, distribution and trade of electricity, natural gas, steam and cooled air
E Water extraction and distribution; waste and wastewater management and remediation
F Construction- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- G-N Commercial services
- Commercial service
This category is a combination of categories:
G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars
H Transport and storage
I Lodging, meal and beverage provision
J Information and communication
K Financial institutions
L Real estate rental and trade
M Consulting, research and other specialist business services
N Rental of movable property and other business services- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- O-U Non-commercial services
- Non-commercial services
This category is a combination of categories:
O Public administration, government services and compulsory social insurance
P Education
Q Health and welfare care
R Culture, sport and recreation
S Other services
T Households as employers; undifferentiated production of goods and services by households for own use
U Extraterritorial organizations and bodies- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- Green areas
- The entrances to the green areas are established at the intersections between the roads and paths of the Top10NL (topographic map, both the line file and the road section file) in the green area and the outer boundary of the green area. For green areas without paths or roads (usually the smaller green areas and public gardens), the focus of the greenery has been taken.
In 2008 and before, only the line file of the topographic map was used and green areas without paths or roads are not included. This mainly results in a trend breach in open natural terrain.
From reporting year 2017, the method for calculating the proximity of green has changed: among other things, only greenery with a minimum surface area of 1 hectare is now included. On average, this method change makes virtually no difference for the whole of the Netherlands: compared to 2015, the distance to greenery has increased by 0.1 km on average. But at a local level (particularly on the Wadden Islands) the differences can sometimes amount to several tens of kilometers.
Proximity to green spaces is derived from the Land Use statistics. The most recent edition of this statistic is reporting year 2017. The next edition is 2020, which will be released at the end of 2023. This means that proximity to green spaces will be published during 2024. From reporting year 2020 onwards, the Land Use statistics will be published annually and so will the proximity to green spaces.- Public green
- Terrain used as a park or public garden, for daytime recreation, nature or as a forest. The site can be privately or publicly accessible. The site is at least one hectare in size.
- Distance to public green total
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest public green space, calculated by road.
- Distance to park or public garden
- Area used for relaxation such as sunbathing areas, shrub plantations and wooded parts of parks and large green areas.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest park or public garden, calculated by road.
- Distance to recreational terrain
- Terrain used for daytime recreation such as zoos, marinas, petting zoos, open-air museums, picnic areas and playing fields (other than parks or public gardens) and amusement parks.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest recreational area, calculated by road.
- Distance to forest
- Terrain overgrown with trees intended for wood production and/or nature conservation.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest forest, calculated by road.
- Distance to open natural terrain
- Terrain used as open nature, such as heathland, dunes, sand drifts, beaches, reeds and rushes, salt marshes, dried up grounds and blue grassland.
- Distance to open nat. terrain total
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest open natural area, calculated by road.
- Distance to open dry natural terrain
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest open dry natural area, calculated by road.
Open dry natural terrain:
Terrain with a dry surface in use as nature, such as dry heath, dunes, sand drifts and beach.
- Distance to open wet natural terrain
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest open wet natural area, calculated by road.
Open wet natural terrain:
Terrain with a wet surface in use as nature, such as wet heath, reed and rushes, salt marshes, dry land without vegetation and blue grassland.
- Semi-public green
- Terrain used as a sports field, allotment garden, for residential recreation or as a cemetery. The site can be privately or publicly accessible.
- Distance to semi-public green total
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest semi-public green space, calculated by road.
- Distance to sports area
- Area used for sports activities, such as sports field, sports hall, swimming pool, artificial ice rink, motocross track and forest in the sports area, including associated parking spaces and grandstands. The site has a size of at least 0.5 hectares.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest sports field, calculated by road.
- Distance to allotment garden
- Terrain for non-commercial ornamental and vegetable cultivation. The site has a size of at least 0.1 hectare.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest allotment, calculated by road.
- Distance to recreational area
- Terrain used for a recreational stay of several days, such as camping, bungalow parks, youth hostels and associated parking spaces. The site has a size of at least 1 hectare.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest recreational area, calculated by road.
- Distance to cemetery
- Site used for burial and cremation, including associated parking lots and parks. The site has a size of at least 0.1 hectare.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest cemetery, calculated by road.
- Distance to recreational inland waters
- Inland waterways used for recreation, such as recreational lakes, water in parks and public gardens, golf courses, marinas and rowing courses. The site has a size of at least 1 hectare. Only for marinas there is a lower limit of 0.5 hectares for the water part.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest recreational inland waterway, calculated by road.
- Traffic and transport
- Distance to main highway entrance
- Access to a state or provincial road.
The National Road Database (a product of the Traffic and Transport Advisory Service of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment) was used as the basis for the ramps.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest entrance to a national or provincial road, calculated over the road.
- Train stations
- Distance to train stations (all types)
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest train station, calculated by road.
- Distance to important transfer station
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest transfer station, calculated by road.
- Leisure and culture
- Distance to library
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest library, calculated by road. This includes libraries branches and service points. The mini-service points, self-service libraries and the library buses are not included.
A library branch meets the following criteria: open for at least 15 hours a week, digital access to the entire collection and range of activities, demand mediation, cultural/literary activities, offer for students/institutions in line with the choices made in the distribution and marketing policy and study opportunities.
A library service point offers at least the following service level: is open for at least 4 hours a week, offers digital access to the entire range of activities and provides intermediary services (both in person and via the internet).
- Sports
- Locations are included if they meet the following criteria: a building is present, the activities are commercially set up, it is open to the public all year round for at least three days a week.
- Distance to swimming pool
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest swimming pool, calculated by road.
- Distance to artificial ice skating rink
- Artificial ice skating rink, which is accessible during the winter season.
The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest artificial ice skating rink, calculated by road.
- Museum
- A museum is a permanent institution at the service of society and its development, open to the public, not aimed at making a profit, which acquires, preserves, scientifically researches, presents and informs about the material testimonies of man and his environment for purposes of study, education and pleasure.
From 2015 onwards, new (stricter) criteria are applied to museums. These criteria are:
- The museum has a permanent location, is open permanently and is freely accessible at least 28 weeks a year and three days a week.
- The museum is not for profit, or is an institution or foundation for public benefit (ANBI).
- The museum has its own collection and conducts research into the collection in order to disseminate knowledge about it.
- The museum has a website or can be accessed via referral on a larger platform.
Please take this trend break into account when interpreting the data, especially when comparing various years before and after 2015.
The locations of the museums in 2006 are not available at Statistics Netherlands. That’s why the museums from 2005 have been as the best approximation for the distances to museums in 2006.
As of the reporting year 2013, all museums in a partnership have been included (provided they meet the above criteria). In the years prior to 2013, only one museum per partnership was included in the population. As a result, the populations from 2013 onwards have increased by a few dozen more museums.- Distance to museum
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest museum, calculated by road.
- Number of museums
- The average number of museums within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Performing arts (excl. festivals)
- Art forms performed by professional actors and actresses for a live audience. The professional performing arts take place at locations such as theatres and concert halls, but also in neighbourhood centres and on music venues . Locations with arts as a collateral activity be included in the figures. Festivals aren’t included in this variable.
As of the reporting year 2014, all performing arts venues within an organization are included (provided they meet the above criteria). In the years before 2014, only one performing arts location per organization was included in the population. The populations before 2014 therefore have slightly fewer locations.- Total distance to performing arts
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest performing arts venue, calculated by road.
- Total performing arts
- The average number of performing arts venues within a fixed distance by road for all residents of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Distance to pop music venue
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest pop music venue, calculated by road.
- Cinema
- Distance to cinema
- The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest cinema, calculated by road.
‘Regular’ theatres and community centres etc. that play movies, are only counted as cinemas, if playing movies takes place for the majority of the opening times.
- Number of cinemas
- The average number of cinemas within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.
- Within 5 km
- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Recreation
- Distance to sauna
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest sauna, calculated by road.
- Distance to tanning salon
- The average distance of all inhabitants in an area to the nearest tanning salon, calculated by road.
- Distance to attraction
- Amusement park, zoo and indoor playground.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest attraction, calculated by road.
- Number of attractions
- Amusement park, zoo and indoor playground.
The average number of attractions within a fixed distance by road for all inhabitants of an area.- Within 10 km
- Within 20 km
- Within 50 km
- Distance to fire station
- Fire stations, excluding fire boat locations.
The average distance of all residents in an area to the nearest fire station, calculated by road.