Zwolle: population and statistics
Zwolle has a population of 134,147 (2026) across 110.6 km², or 1,213 people per km². It ranks 19 of 342 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 134,147 residents
- 110.6 km²
- 1,213 people/km²
- 5 m
Key points
Among the 25 municipalities in Overijssel, Zwolle ranks No. 2 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 17.7% in Zwolle, compared with an average of 21.4% in Overijssel and 21.1% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 22.3% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,018 kWh a year here.
Zwolle in numbers
Where is Zwolle?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Hattem5.1 km · 12,822
- Zwartewaterland7.5 km · 23,733
- Dalfsen11 km · 30,264
- Heerde13 km · 19,325
- Oldebroek14 km · 24,535
- Kampen14 km · 56,835
- Staphorst15 km · 18,219
- Raalte18 km · 39,084
All municipalities in Overijssel
All municipalities in Noord-Overijssel (COROP region)
Municipalities of similar size
Population of Zwolle over time
Zwolle had 124,896 residents in 2016 and 134,147 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 129,840 |
| 2022 | 130,668 |
| 2023 | 132,411 |
| 2024 | 133,141 |
| 2025 | 133,810 |
| 2026 | 134,147 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Overijssel for “Residents with a higher professional or university degree”.
- Number 1 in Overijssel for “Violent and sexual offences per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Housing stock”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Business establishments”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,485 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.3 times the national average.
All indicators for Zwolle
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 | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2026) | 17.7% | 21.4% | 23.6% | ranked 321 of 342 | |
| Share of residents under 15 (2026) | 16.0% | 15.2% | 14.8% | ranked 80 of 342 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1.7 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | −1.3 ‰ | ranked 51 of 342 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (domestic and international) (2024) | 3.5 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | ranked 234 of 342 |
Housing
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing stock (2025) | 61,693 dwellings | 531,844 | 8,274,510 | ranked 22 of 342 | |
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2024) | 15.4% | 16.1% | 13.1% | ranked 138 of 338 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2024) | 25.0% | 21.1% | 19.9% | ranked 56 of 338 | |
| Single-family dwellings (2024) | 63.6% | 74.8% | 79.5% | ranked 292 of 342 | |
| Owner-occupied dwellings (2024) | 53.0% | 61.9% | 66.7% | ranked 316 of 342 | |
| Housing association dwellings (2024) | 32.6% | 26.3% | 23.7% | ranked 30 of 340 | |
| Average official property value (WOZ) of dwellings (2026) | 420,000 € | 395,811 € | 438,000 € | ranked 201 of 342 | |
| New dwellings in the last five years per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.0 ‰ | 18.2 ‰ | 17.4 ‰ | ranked 139 of 341 |
Energy
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average natural gas use per dwelling (2025) | 730 m³ | 877 m³ | 900 m³ | ranked 294 of 342 | |
| Average electricity supplied per dwelling (2025) | 2,350 kWh | 2,784 kWh | 2,810 kWh | ranked 313 of 342 | |
| Dwellings without natural gas (2025) | 9% | 9% | 7% | ranked 74 of 342 | |
| Dwellings with solar power (2025) | 43% | 45% | 46% | ranked 210 of 342 | |
| Dwellings mainly heated by electricity (2025) | 11% | 12% | 12% | ranked 178 of 342 | |
| Area of solar parks (2022) | 30 ha | 295 ha | 3,475 ha | ranked 32 of 341 | |
| Dwellings with an individual central heating boiler (2022) | 83.3% | 86.8% | 90.3% | ranked 282 of 341 | |
| Dwellings with district heating (2022) | 2.7% | 3.3% | 0.1% | ranked 63 of 341 | |
| Average electricity fed back to the grid per dwelling (2025) | 950 kWh | 1,244 kWh | 1,245 kWh | ranked 247 of 342 | |
| Installed solar panel capacity per inhabitant (2025) | 1,660 Wp | 2,004 Wp | 1,707 Wp | ranked 173 of 342 | |
| Solar power installations per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 211.9 ‰ | 214.3 ‰ | 222.7 ‰ | ranked 207 of 342 |
Economy
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average disposable income per household (2024) | 59,000 € | 60,610 € | 63,450 € | ranked 248 of 336 | |
| Business establishments (2026) | 18,240 | 149,080 | 2,612,530 | ranked 20 of 342 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 136.0 ‰ | 124.0 ‰ | 135.6 ‰ | ranked 165 of 342 |
Employment
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment benefits (WW), % of residents 15–65 (2026) | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.5% | ranked 91 of 342 | |
| Social assistance (below pension age), % of residents 15–65 (2026) | 4.4% | 3.4% | 2.3% | ranked 27 of 342 |
Transport
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privately owned passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 402 ‰ | 482 ‰ | 508 ‰ | ranked 320 of 342 | |
| Average distance to the nearest railway station (2025) | 2.6 km | 3.9 km | 4.6 km | ranked 254 of 342 |
Society
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average household size (2025) | 2.1 persons | 2.2 | 2.2 | ranked 235 of 342 | |
| Single-person households (2025) | 43.0% | 36.1% | 33.3% | ranked 28 of 342 | |
| Registered offences per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 56.6 ‰ | 37.7 ‰ | 30.9 ‰ | ranked 24 of 338 | |
| Theft, embezzlement and burglary per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 25.1 ‰ | 16.5 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | ranked 25 of 320 | |
| Vandalism and damage per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.1 ‰ | 4.3 ‰ | 3.8 ‰ | ranked 27 of 171 | |
| Violent and sexual offences per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.5 ‰ | 4.3 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | ranked 35 of 178 | |
| Average distance to a large supermarket (2025) | 0.8 km | 1.1 km | 1.0 km | ranked 242 of 342 |
Environment
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste per inhabitant (2024) | 382 kg | 429 kg | 468 kg | ranked 303 of 340 | |
| Share of built-up and paved land (excluding water) (2022) | 31.7% | 20.9% | 16.8% | ranked 87 of 341 | |
| Share of agricultural land (excluding water) (2022) | 51.1% | 60.0% | 58.8% | ranked 207 of 341 | |
| Share of natural land, including forest (excluding water) (2022) | 9.5% | 14.8% | 11.7% | ranked 198 of 341 |
Health
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average distance to the nearest GP practice (2025) | 1.0 km | 1.3 km | 1.2 km | ranked 206 of 342 |
Education
| Indicator | Zwolle | Overijssel | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents with a higher professional or university degree (2024) | 40.6% | 29.5% | 28.5% | ranked 45 of 341 | |
| Average distance to the nearest school (2025) | 0.7 km | 0.8 km | 0.8 km | ranked 219 of 342 |
Zwolle: 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
83.3% in 2022, compared with 85.8% in 2017
Dwellings with district heating
2.7% in 2022, compared with 2.7% in 2017
Installed solar panel capacity per inhabitant
1,660 Wp in 2025, compared with 482 Wp in 2019
Solar power installations per 1,000 inhabitants
211.9 ‰ in 2025, compared with 81.6 ‰ in 2019
Registered offences per 1,000 inhabitants
56.6 ‰ in 2025, compared with 50.8 ‰ in 2019
Theft, embezzlement and burglary per 1,000 inhabitants
25.1 ‰ in 2025, compared with 20.4 ‰ in 2019
Vandalism and damage per 1,000 inhabitants
5.1 ‰ in 2025, compared with 5.2 ‰ in 2019
Violent and sexual offences per 1,000 inhabitants
5.5 ‰ in 2025, compared with 5.7 ‰ in 2019
Sunshine and temperatures: Zwolle
| Month | Sunshine | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 3.3 |
| February | 38 | 3.5 |
| March | 81 | 5.8 |
| April | 128 | 9.6 |
| May | 154 | 13.3 |
| June | 164 | 16.7 |
| July | 159 | 18.4 |
| August | 134 | 17.7 |
| September | 95 | 15.2 |
| October | 55 | 11.5 |
| November | 26 | 7.0 |
| December | 17 | 4.4 |
Business sectors: Zwolle
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical22.3% ×1.1
- Health and social work13.6% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.8% ×1.0
- Education8.3% ×1.4
- Arts, entertainment and recreation7.8% ×1.4
- Information and communication6.4% ×1.2
- Construction5.4% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services5.3% ×1.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zwolle?
Zwolle has 134,147 residents (2026), ranking 19 of 342 municipalities.
How big is Zwolle?
Zwolle covers 110.6 km², with a density of 1,213 people per km².
Is the population of Zwolle growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Zwolle went from 124,896 to 134,147, a change of +7.4%.
Where is Zwolle?
Zwolle is in Overijssel. It belongs to Noord-Overijssel (COROP region). Latitude 52.517, longitude 6.100.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Zwolle?
In Zwolle, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 17.7% (2026), ranking 321 of 342 municipalities; the national median is 23.6%.
Housing stock: what is the figure for Zwolle?
In Zwolle, “Housing stock” stands at 61,693 dwellings (2025), ranking 22 of 342 municipalities; the national median is 14,880 dwellings.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Zwolle?
In Zwolle, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,018 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Zwolle?
The nearest to Zwolle are Hattem (5.1 km), Zwartewaterland (7.5 km), Dalfsen (11 km), Heerde (13 km), Oldebroek (14 km).