Which town in the Netherlands makes the happiest residents? It’s the big showdown between the Dutch cities. 💪
The Dutch are almost always at the top of the world’s happiness rankings, but which specific cities are the happiest? Let’s see!
The Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) compared many indicators that make up a happy city, including factors like income, wealth, and unemployment. They also looked at ‘softer’ measures such as satisfaction with life, the amount of nature per inhabitant, and, importantly, the distance to the closest cafés.
Who came out on top? Drum roll please… the little town of Dalfsen, in the province of Overijssel, reports AD.nl! 👑
A peaceful community in Dalfsen
What makes the 30,000 residents of Dalfsen the happiest people in the Netherlands? It doesn’t actually have much to do with economic numbers, but more with the community.
Dalfsen is quite average in terms of the economy and income. However, they won the trophy with a high life expectancy, high social cohesion, strong mutual trust, and having schools and cafes within walking distance (no bikes? 😯), among other things.
Living in Dalfsen is peaceful, with hardly any crime and relatively low unemployment.
What’s the happiest Dutch province?
Looking for a new place to live but not quite sure about Dalfsen? Well, turns out that the second, third, and fourth happiest cities in the Netherlands are all nearby Dalfsen — also in Overijssel.
READ MORE | Provinces in the Netherlands: the easy guide
After Dalfsen, life in the Netherlands is the most enjoyable in Dinkelland, Raalte, and Staphorst.
Loyal Randstad lovers, you might be wondering where you stand in the happiness ranking. Well, turn out the happiest town in the Randstad, De Ronde Venen, is only the 23rd happiest in the country. 😳
The unhappiest areas of the Netherlands
Wondering which towns are not so nice to live in? The statistics show that the majority of cities at the bottom of the list are in the south of the Netherlands.
READ MORE | Where to live as an international in the Netherlands: the complete guide
All the way in last place is Heerlen, with lots of crime, a low life expectancy, low income, and little contact within the community. Close to Heerlen stands Rotterdam, Kerkrade, Brunssum, and Schiedam.
Results to be taken with a grain of salt
Since the CBS’s measures look only at the city level, it doesn’t take into account how happy people in individual municipalities are. Therefore, the results of the study are to be taken lightly.
READ MORE | 7 underrated places to live outside of the Randstad
For example, some municipalities in the Randstad score low on greenery, even though there’s plenty of it right outside the cities. Or, municipalities right outside big cities might score low on employment, but inhabitants actually have great work prospects in nearby cities.
And, of course, what makes people happy in a city depends on preferences. Some people prefer busy, buzzing cities, while others prefer quaint small villages full of nature.
What do you think about the ranking, and are you surprised? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!