Population of the Netherlands
As of April 2025, the population of the Netherlands is 17.7 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 50 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.29%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 41.2 years in 2015 to 42.3 years in 2025. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 82.9 years and population density is 526.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of the Netherlands peaked in 1961, reaching around 1.36% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.28% in 2025. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 162.54 thousand in 1964 to nearly 50.41 thousand in 2025.
Life Expectancy
In the Netherlands, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 79.5 years in 2005 to 82.9 years in 2025, representing an increase of more than 3 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Amsterdam, North Holland, with approximately 741.6 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Rotterdam, South Holland with 598.2 thousand and The Hague, South Holland with 474.3 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in the Netherlands:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amsterdam, North Holland | 741,636 |
| 2 | Rotterdam, South Holland | 598,199 |
| 3 | The Hague, South Holland | 474,292 |
| 4 | Utrecht | 375,161 |
| 5 | Groningen | 238,147 |
| 6 | Eindhoven, North Brabant | 209,620 |
| 7 | Tilburg, North Brabant | 199,613 |
| 8 | Almere Stad, Flevoland | 176,432 |
| 9 | Breda, North Brabant | 167,673 |
| 10 | Nijmegen, Gelderland | 158,732 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Enschede, Overijssel | 153,655 |
| 12 | Haarlem, North Holland | 147,590 |
| 13 | Arnhem, Gelderland | 141,674 |
| 14 | Zaanstad, North Holland | 140,085 |
| 15 | Amersfoort, Utrecht | 139,914 |
| 16 | Apeldoorn, Gelderland | 136,670 |
| 17 | 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant | 134,520 |
| 18 | Hoofddorp, North Holland | 132,734 |
| 19 | Maastricht, Limburg | 122,378 |
| 20 | Leiden, South Holland | 119,713 |