Bloemendaal and Wassenaar are the two municipalities in the Netherlands with the highest per capita income. The richest municipalities are mainly located in the province North Holland, the poorest in east Groningen and south Limburg.
Income in Bloemendaal and Wassenaar 65 percent above average
In 2008 the average incomeper capita in the Netherlands amounted to 24.6thousand euro. In Bloemendaal and Wassenaar the income per inhabitant is 65percent higher than this national average. Blaricum (+64percent), too, and Rozendaal (+57percent) in the province of Gelderland were much richer than average.
The lowest per capita income in2008 was in Pekela: 19percent lower than average. Stadskanaal came second, followed by Kerkrade. In both these municipalities the income per inhabitant was 15percent lower than average.
Municipalities by highest and lowest levels of income, 2008
Six of the ten richest municipalities located in North Holland
Six of the ten richest municipalities were located in the province of North Holland. The high incomes are mainly concentrated in the Gooi en Vechtstreek region . Four of the ten richest municipalities were in this region: in addition to Blaricum these are Naarden, Laren and Bussum.
Many poor municipalities in east Groningen and south Limburg
The municipalities with the lowest average incomes are located mainly in east Groningen and south Limburg. Five of the ten poorest municipalities are in east Groningen, and four in south Limburg.
Within south Limburg, the poorest municipalities are concentrated in Parkstad, a former coal-mining region. Within Parkstad, Heerlen and Brunssum are among the ten poorest municipalities in addition to Kerkrade.
Deviation from average income level per municipality, 2008
Utrecht richest of the four big cities
Utrecht was the richest of the four large cities in the Netherlands. The income per inhabitant was 3percent higher here than the national average. Rotterdam had the lowest per capita income of the four biggest cities: 10percent lower than average.
Four largest cities by income level, 2008
Hans Kasperski and Peter Meuwissen
