Smallingerland: population and statistics
Smallingerland has a population of 57,188 (2026) across 117.0 km², or 489 people per km². It ranks 80 of 342 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 57,188 residents
- 117.0 km²
- 489 people/km²
- 4 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Friesland, Smallingerland ranks No. 3 by population.
Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65: 5.0% in Smallingerland, compared with an average of 4.1% in Friesland and 3.5% nationally.
Average distance to the nearest railway station: 18.4 km in Smallingerland, compared with an average of 8.8 km in Friesland and 5.2 km nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 18.9% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,005 kWh a year here.
Smallingerland in numbers
Where is Smallingerland?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Opsterland11 km · 30,068
- Tytsjerksteradiel13 km · 32,874
- Achtkarspelen13 km · 28,254
- Heerenveen15 km · 51,955
- Ooststellingwerf18 km · 25,898
- Noordenveld21 km · 31,737
- Dantumadiel21 km · 19,231
- Westerkwartier22 km · 65,067
All municipalities in Friesland
All municipalities in Zuidoost-Friesland (COROP region)
Municipalities of similar size
Population of Smallingerland over time
Smallingerland had 55,439 residents in 2016 and 57,188 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 56,040 |
| 2022 | 55,895 |
| 2023 | 56,098 |
| 2024 | 56,661 |
| 2025 | 57,084 |
| 2026 | 57,188 |
Did you know?
- “Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Average distance to the nearest railway station”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Average official property value (WOZ) of dwellings”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 16,388 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Opsterland, 11.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Leeuwarden (130,162 residents), 24 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,020 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Smallingerland
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.9% | 23.9% | 23.6% | ranked 210 of 342 | |
| Share of residents under 15 (2026) | 15.2% | 14.6% | 14.8% | ranked 135 of 342 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | −0.9 ‰ | −2.2 ‰ | −1.3 ‰ | ranked 153 of 342 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (domestic and international) (2024) | 8.4 ‰ | 5.8 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | ranked 117 of 342 |
Housing
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing stock (2025) | 26,564 dwellings | 312,294 | 8,274,510 | ranked 74 of 342 | |
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2024) | 8.5% | 21.7% | 13.1% | ranked 265 of 338 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2024) | 19.4% | 17.1% | 19.9% | ranked 179 of 338 | |
| Single-family dwellings (2024) | 78.2% | 80.0% | 79.5% | ranked 190 of 342 | |
| Owner-occupied dwellings (2024) | 59.9% | 62.6% | 66.7% | ranked 265 of 342 | |
| Housing association dwellings (2024) | 30.1% | 26.2% | 23.7% | ranked 55 of 340 | |
| Average official property value (WOZ) of dwellings (2026) | 326,000 € | 335,172 € | 438,000 € | ranked 316 of 342 | |
| New dwellings in the last five years per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 12.7 ‰ | 13.4 ‰ | 17.4 ‰ | ranked 248 of 341 |
Energy
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average natural gas use per dwelling (2025) | 900 m³ | 910 m³ | 900 m³ | ranked 164 of 342 | |
| Average electricity supplied per dwelling (2025) | 2,470 kWh | 2,570 kWh | 2,810 kWh | ranked 293 of 342 | |
| Dwellings without natural gas (2025) | 5% | 7% | 7% | ranked 236 of 342 | |
| Dwellings with solar power (2025) | 47% | 48% | 46% | ranked 158 of 342 | |
| Dwellings mainly heated by electricity (2025) | 10% | 12% | 12% | ranked 223 of 342 | |
| Area of solar parks (2022) | 2 ha | 284 ha | 3,475 ha | ranked 131 of 341 | |
| Dwellings with an individual central heating boiler (2022) | 91.1% | 89.5% | 90.3% | ranked 123 of 341 | |
| Dwellings with district heating (2022) | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.1% | ranked 125 of 341 | |
| Average electricity fed back to the grid per dwelling (2025) | 1,210 kWh | 1,289 kWh | 1,245 kWh | ranked 184 of 342 | |
| Installed solar panel capacity per inhabitant (2025) | 1,964 Wp | 2,214 Wp | 1,707 Wp | ranked 136 of 342 | |
| Solar power installations per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 232.1 ‰ | 242.2 ‰ | 222.7 ‰ | ranked 144 of 342 |
Economy
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average disposable income per household (2024) | 54,200 € | 55,151 € | 63,450 € | ranked 306 of 336 | |
| Business establishments (2026) | 6,495 | 88,090 | 2,612,530 | ranked 105 of 342 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 113.6 ‰ | 132.4 ‰ | 135.6 ‰ | ranked 304 of 342 |
Employment
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment benefits (WW), % of residents 15–65 (2026) | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.5% | ranked 91 of 342 | |
| Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65 (2026) | 5.0% | 4.1% | 2.3% | ranked 15 of 342 |
Transport
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privately owned passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 497 ‰ | 510 ‰ | 508 ‰ | ranked 197 of 342 | |
| Average distance to the nearest railway station (2025) | 18.4 km | 8.8 km | 4.6 km | ranked 18 of 342 |
Society
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average household size (2025) | 2.1 persons | 2.1 | 2.2 | ranked 235 of 342 | |
| Single-person households (2025) | 38.3% | 38.2% | 33.3% | ranked 70 of 342 | |
| Registered offences per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 37.6 ‰ | 31.7 ‰ | 30.9 ‰ | ranked 95 of 338 | |
| Theft, embezzlement and burglary per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 12.7 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | ranked 136 of 320 | |
| Vandalism and damage per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.2 ‰ | 4.2 ‰ | 3.8 ‰ | ranked 24 of 171 | |
| Violent and sexual offences per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.2 ‰ | 4.1 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | ranked 45 of 178 | |
| Average distance to a large supermarket (2025) | 1.4 km | 1.5 km | 1.0 km | ranked 68 of 342 |
Environment
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste per inhabitant (2024) | 574 kg | 595 kg | 468 kg | ranked 60 of 340 | |
| Share of built-up and paved land (excluding water) (2022) | 18.5% | 11.6% | 16.8% | ranked 150 of 341 | |
| Share of agricultural land (excluding water) (2022) | 72.7% | 77.6% | 58.8% | ranked 97 of 341 | |
| Share of natural land, including forest (excluding water) (2022) | 5.8% | 8.6% | 11.7% | ranked 246 of 341 |
Health
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average distance to the nearest GP practice (2025) | 1.1 km | 1.6 km | 1.2 km | ranked 173 of 342 |
Education
| Indicator | Smallingerland | Friesland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents with a higher professional or university degree (2024) | 25.6% | 26.5% | 28.5% | ranked 241 of 341 | |
| Average distance to the nearest school (2025) | 0.8 km | 0.9 km | 0.8 km | ranked 124 of 342 |
Smallingerland: indicators over time
Indicators available for several years. Hover over or tap a chart to read the value for each year.
Dwellings with an individual central heating boiler
91.1% in 2022, compared with 93.0% in 2017
Dwellings with district heating
0.3% in 2022, compared with 0.3% in 2017
Installed solar panel capacity per inhabitant
1,964 Wp in 2025, compared with 449 Wp in 2019
Solar power installations per 1,000 inhabitants
232.1 ‰ in 2025, compared with 77.2 ‰ in 2019
Registered offences per 1,000 inhabitants
37.6 ‰ in 2025, compared with 41.8 ‰ in 2019
Theft, embezzlement and burglary per 1,000 inhabitants
12.7 ‰ in 2025, compared with 16.2 ‰ in 2019
Vandalism and damage per 1,000 inhabitants
5.2 ‰ in 2025, compared with 5.9 ‰ in 2019
Violent and sexual offences per 1,000 inhabitants
5.2 ‰ in 2025, compared with 5.3 ‰ in 2019
Sunshine and temperatures: Smallingerland
| Month | Sunshine | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 3.3 |
| February | 36 | 3.5 |
| March | 79 | 5.6 |
| April | 127 | 9.2 |
| May | 155 | 12.8 |
| June | 162 | 16.1 |
| July | 159 | 17.9 |
| August | 133 | 17.4 |
| September | 93 | 15.0 |
| October | 53 | 11.4 |
| November | 25 | 7.0 |
| December | 16 | 4.4 |
Business sectors: Smallingerland
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical18.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade17.3% ×1.3
- Health and social work12.0% ×1.1
- Construction10.3% ×1.0
- Education6.1% ×1.0
- Other service activities5.6% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.8% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services4.4% ×0.8
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Smallingerland?
Smallingerland has 57,188 residents (2026), ranking 80 of 342 municipalities.
How big is Smallingerland?
Smallingerland covers 117.0 km², with a density of 489 people per km².
Is the population of Smallingerland growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Smallingerland went from 55,439 to 57,188, a change of +3.2%.
Where is Smallingerland?
Smallingerland is in Friesland. It belongs to Zuidoost-Friesland (COROP region). Latitude 53.100, longitude 6.100.
Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65: what is the figure for Smallingerland?
In Smallingerland, “Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65” stands at 5.0% (2026), ranking 15 of 342 municipalities; the national median is 2.3%.
Average distance to the nearest railway station: what is the figure for Smallingerland?
In Smallingerland, “Average distance to the nearest railway station” stands at 18.4 km (2025), ranking 18 of 342 municipalities; the national median is 4.6 km.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Smallingerland?
In Smallingerland, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,005 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Smallingerland?
The nearest to Smallingerland are Opsterland (11 km), Tytsjerksteradiel (13 km), Achtkarspelen (13 km), Heerenveen (15 km), Ooststellingwerf (18 km).