Amsterdam draws most young people leaving home
CBS figures show that students and young workers in particular move to the capital.
Amsterdam was the most popular destination in 2024 for young people leaving their parents’ home. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 12,760 people aged between 18 and 30 moved to the capital, more than to any other Dutch municipality.
In total, more than 174,000 people aged between 18 and 30 left their parents’ home in 2024. Statistics Netherlands examined where they went on to live. Young people who came to the Netherlands from abroad were not included in this analysis.
A third of the young people settled in one of the ten largest destination municipalities. Amsterdam topped the list, with 12,760 new residents from this group. Rotterdam followed with 8,165 young people and Groningen with 7,395. The figures say something about moves, but not whether young people rent or own their new home independently.
Of the Amsterdam group, 5,475 were students. The city therefore also attracted the most students, ahead of Utrecht and Groningen. In addition, 7,285 non-students moved to Amsterdam. The Hague, by contrast, attracted relatively many young people who were not students: 65.4 per cent of those moving in were non-students.
Housing arrangements varied greatly by level of education. Among students, private renting was most common. Of students at universities of applied sciences and research universities, 54.7 and 55 per cent respectively ended up in privately rented accommodation. Students in senior secondary vocational education were relatively more likely to move into an owner-occupied or housing-association property. CBS warns that a young person is not always the owner or named tenant; some move in with a partner, family member or housemate.
The age at which people left home also varied. Students in senior secondary vocational education were 21.4 years old on average when they left their parents’ home. For students at universities of applied sciences, the average was 22.5, and for research-university students 22.1. Young people in work were 25.3 years old on average when they left home. The municipality of Amsterdam previously reported that young people from Amsterdam were 23.8 years old on average when they left in 2024.
The figures do not assess housing affordability. Nor do they show how many young people ended up in temporary or shared accommodation out of necessity. They do, however, put pressure on the housing market in a broader context: cities with plenty of education, work and amenities attract young people, while available housing is limited precisely there.
For municipalities, the inflow means that more than student accommodation is needed. Young workers are also looking for small rented homes, rooms and affordable owner-occupied properties. The CBS analysis shows where demand ends up, but not whether supply can keep pace with it.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Amsterdam attracts more young people leaving home than other Dutch municipalities.
- Students are overrepresented among those moving to large cities.
- The CBS figures measure moves, not the affordability or quality of the new home.
Left
Arguments The inflow shows that affordable rented homes and publicly provided student housing are needed. The government must prevent young people on low incomes from being displaced by scarcity and high private rents.
Values Livelihood security, equal access to education and housing, and protection against market concentration.
Consequences Without additional social and affordable housing, young people will continue living at home for longer or depend on their parents, temporary contracts and shared accommodation.
Centre
Arguments Municipalities should plan education, housebuilding and accessibility together. Both public and private providers are needed, but the effects on neighbourhoods and amenities must be monitored.
Values Balance, feasibility and alignment between local demand and supply.
Consequences A combination of new construction, better use of existing homes and regional agreements can spread the pressure without depriving cities of their appeal.
Right
Arguments Amsterdam’s appeal is also an economic advantage. Building more, reducing regulation and speeding up permits will increase supply more effectively than price regulation alone.
Values Ownership, economic dynamism and room for private investment.
Consequences A larger and more flexible supply can help young people live independently sooner, while heavy regulation can discourage investment and new construction.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures were checked directly against the CBS publication. The context on the average age at which people leave home is based on municipal statistics.
- confirmed In 2024, more than 174,000 people aged between 18 and 30 left their parents’ home. — CBS analysis of young people who were still registered as resident children on 1 January. source
- confirmed Amsterdam attracted 12,760 young people who left their parents’ home. — CBS table listing the ten largest destination municipalities. source
- confirmed In Amsterdam, 5,475 students and 7,285 non-students moved after leaving their parents’ home. — CBS breakdown by education status. source
- confirmed Young people from Amsterdam left their parents’ home at an average age of 23.8 in 2024. — Amsterdam Research and Statistics. source
Editor's note
The figures for numbers and housing arrangements come from the CBS analysis for 2024. The figures do not say why young people move or how affordable their new home is.Sources
- Amsterdam populairste bestemming jongeren die uit huis gaan — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek
- Amsterdamse jongeren steeds later uit huis — Onderzoek en Statistiek Amsterdam
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „amsterdam jongeren”
- De Telegraaf — „amsterdam jongeren”
- AD — „amsterdam jongeren”