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Municipality

Living in Groningen

The city of Groningen sits on a sandy ridge, the northern end of the Hondsrug, surrounded by clay and peat. The historic centre is centuries old and many surrounding neighbourhoods date from before 1970.

In the province of Groningen there is also damage from earthquakes caused by gas extraction. That is a different problem from foundation issues caused by soil and building age, and it is not included in our data.

Check an address in Groningen

Groningen in numbers

Residents
244,427
figure from 2026
Average home value (WOZ)
€313,000
Netherlands: €398,000figure from 2025
Owner-occupied homes
41%
Netherlands: 57%figure from 2025
Households with children
18%
Netherlands: 31%figure from 2026
Distance to GP
0.9 km
Netherlands: 1.1 kmfigure from 2025
Distance to large supermarket
0.8 km
Netherlands: 1 kmfigure from 2025

Foundations in Groningen

47% of the 99,598 buildings in Groningen were built before 1970. In the west and north of the Netherlands, homes from that period often stand on wooden piles.

45% of the buildings are on soft soil or in an urban area in the west or north and date from before 1970. For those, our check shows ‘Needs attention’.

Soil under the buildings

  • Soft soil (peat, clay)

    68% of buildings · 41% of those from before 1970

  • City, soil not classified

    26% of buildings · 67% of those from before 1970

  • Firm soil (sand)

    7% of buildings · 24% of those from before 1970

Foundation map of Groningen

Indicative areas of concern for foundation problems: the share of buildings from before 1970 per postcode area, coloured by soil type. Zoom in or out to explore.

Noise in Groningen

In half of the 96 neighbourhoods, daytime noise is 50 dB or less. In 26% of neighbourhoods it is 55 dB or more, a level many people find annoying.

Quietest neighbourhoods

  1. De Zeilen34 dB
  2. Thesinge35 dB
  3. Lewenborg-Noord40 dB

Noisiest neighbourhoods

  1. Helpman76 dB
  2. Reitdiepswaard74 dB
  3. Ruischerbrug73 dB

Air quality in Groningen

Half of the neighbourhoods have a nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) level of 8.7 µg/m³ or less. The WHO guideline is 10; the European limit from 2030 is 20.

Cleanest air

  1. Glimmen Dorp5.7 µg/m³
  2. Noordlaren Dorp5.8 µg/m³
  3. Buitengebied Glimmen5.9 µg/m³

Most nitrogen dioxide

  1. Schildersbuurt15.1 µg/m³
  2. Stationsgebied13.8 µg/m³
  3. Helpman13 µg/m³

Noise and air quality per neighbourhood are taken at the centre point of the neighbourhood. Next to busy roads in the same neighbourhood it can differ. Check an address for the value at that spot.

Local taxes in Groningen

Groningen charges a combined €516 per inhabitant in property tax (OZB), sewerage and waste charges (2026). The national average is €453.

Rank 279 of 342 municipalities (1 = lowest charges)

  • Property tax on homes (OZB)€260 per inhabitant
    Netherlands: €177+5% vs 2025
  • Sewerage charge (rioolheffing)€97 per inhabitant
    Netherlands: €121+4% vs 2025
  • Waste charge (afvalstoffenheffing)€159 per inhabitant
    Netherlands: €155+4% vs 2025
  • Total€516 per inhabitant
    Netherlands: €453+5% vs 2025
All figures for Groningen

Sources: RVO/KCAF (2019), RIVM noise (2022) and air quality (2024), CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten. Aggregated on October 13, 2026.