Dutch citizens are continuing to have fewer children, with birth rates declining in almost every municipality over the past decade, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
CBS reports that the birth rate has been on a downward trend since 2010, with women having fewer children onaverage both in the Netherlands and internationally. The latest figures show that the average number of children per woman was lower in nearly every Dutch municipality in 2024 than it was in 2014. The differences between municipalitiesremain considerable. In 2024, the average number of children per woman ranged from 2.50 in Urk to just 0.58 on the island municipality of Vlieland.
The statistics agency says birth rates remain relatively high in municipalities within the Dutch Bible Belt, such as Urk, where larger families and younger motherhood are more common. In contrast, the country’s largest cities continue to record lower birth rates, with women generally giving birth to their first child later than on average. CBS notes that these regional patterns have remained largely unchanged over the past decade.
CBS also found that several social and demographic factors are associated with regional differences. Municipalities with more single women generally have lower birth rates, while areas with higher median incomes, more newly built homesand greater electoral support for conservative Christian parties tend to have higher birth rates. Municipalities with relatively large populations of women born abroad also often have lower birth rates, although this varies depending on their country of origin.
Experts point to broader demographic challenges
Dutch broadcaster WNL reports that research by demographer Jan Latten shows that the national average number ofchildren per woman has declined from 1.71 to 1.43 over the past ten years. Latten has suggested establishing a government ministry dedicated to family affairs to help reverse the trend.
However, Jet Bussemaker, chair of the Council for Public Health and Society, believes the issue cannot be solved by a single ministry. She says: ‘A minister for Family Affairs is not going to solve everything. This is a development intertwined with too many different factors.’
Bussemaker warned that the falling birth rate has significant demographic consequences: ‘Demographically speaking, we really need population replacement.’
She believes many people postpone or decide against having children because the conditions are not favourable: ‘Women do not want children because the circumstances are not attractive for it. That should make us think.’ She added that ‘things like healthcare, housing, education, and also migration need to be better organized before people are willing to start having children.’
Call for long-term family policy
Former D66 politician Boris van der Ham also questioned Latten’s proposal for a minister for Family Affairs. WNL quotes him as saying: ‘A Minister for Family Affairs is an typical ‘The Hague’ solution. That is not how you should do it.’ Instead of imposing rules that might increase the birth rate, he argued that creating stability for families should be a responsibility shared by the entire government. Improvements across the country could encourage people to start families earlier.
Bussemaker pointed to the long-running debate over government-funded childcare as an example of inconsistent policymaking. She remarked: ‘The Netherlands is a champion of yo-yo policies in this area. That is why this will neveramount to anything.’ She concluded that families need long-term certainty if the government wants to encourage higher birth rates: ‘Ideally, there should be no obstacles whatsoever for men and women to have children. The fact that wecannot resolve this proves that there is a great need for clear and long-term policy in this area.’
Written by Nicole Bea Kerr