Rozendaal richest municipality

Rozendaal was the wealthiest municipality in the Netherlands in 2004. The average income level there was 56 percent higher than the national level. The province North Holland has the most wealthy municipalities, while Groningen and Friesland have the most poor ones.

Six of the ten richest municipalities in North Holland

Following Rozendaal in the province of Gelderland, Bloemendaal and Wassenaar were the next richest municipalities. In 2004 the average income in these municipalities was 50 to 56 percent higher than the national average. Six of the ten wealthiest municipalities were located in the province of North Holland.

The lowest income levels were in Reiderland (Groningen) followed by Pekela and Eemsmond. Inhabitants of these municipalities had 16 to 22 percent less income than average.

Deviation from average income level per municipality, 2004

Mostly small differences between municipalities

The national average income level was just over 20 thousand euro. This income level is calculated as the standardised household income per person.
The differences in income levels between municipalities are usually small. In four out of five municipalities income  deviated less than 10 percent from the national average.

Enschede, Emmen and Rotterdam poorest major cities

In most of the big cities the income level does not deviate much from the national average. Exceptions were Enschede, Emmen and Rotterdam with on average 10 percent less.  Haarlemmermeer was the wealthiest municipality with 100 thousand inhabitants or more (11 percent above average).

In the category 50-100 thousand inhabitants the income level was highest in Amstelveen (24 percent above average) and lowest in Almelo (11 percent below average). In Brunssum and Heerlen in Limburg, too, the average income was 10 percent lower than the average across the country.

Municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants by highest and lowest income levels, 2004

Many low incomes in northern provinces

Most of the municipalities with a relatively low income were in Groningen and Friesland. The income level was lower than average in nearly all municipalities in these provinces. Only Haren in Groningen was a positive exception (19 percent above average). In the province of Utrecht all municipalities had higher than average income, with the exception of Veenendaal (2 percent lower). 

Deviation from average income level per province, 2004

Hans Kasperski en Peter Meuwissen