Apeldoorn has overtaken Groningen as the healthiest city in the Netherlands while Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam are the least healthy, according to a ranking by Arcadis.

The Healthy City Index 2024

The Gezonde Stad Index or Healthy City Index is published every two years by the engineering company Arcadis. The study is based on research conducted by the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) and compares 25 Dutch cities - the largest of each province plus 13 other large cities in the Netherlands. 

The ranking scores and ranks the cities based on the following five categories:

• Built environment
• Mobility
• Outdoor spaces
• Natural environment
• Community

While this year marks only the third edition of the ranking, Arcadis noted that improvements have already been made in making cities healthier. The report also shows a correlation between a better quality of life and living in a healthy city with access to facilities, greenery and more active modes of transport, such as those where walking and cycling are becoming more common.

Apeldoorn outranks Groningen as healthiest Dutch city

For the first time since the study began, Groningen is not in the number one position. In 2024, Apeldoorn nabbed the top spot after steadily climbing up the ranks since 2020. 

The city saw improvements in the built environment and community categories, but the abundance of greenery is probably what contributes the most to a better quality of life. “We are seeing a significant increase in feelings of anxiety and stress nationwide. An effect of the COVID pandemic,” said healthcare director of Arcadis Eke Schins. “Apeldoorn is also showing this increase, but clearly less than in many other cities.” There was also a low level of crime and high social cohesion in Apeldoorn.

One of the main reasons Groningen fell from the top spot is due to the large number of serious accidents on the roads. Despite seeing more cyclists in the city, an increase in crime and a decrease in people complying with general exercise guidelines dragged their overall score down.

Three largest Dutch cities considered least healthy

Rotterdam has once again found itself at the bottom of the healthy city ranking, with The Hague and Amsterdam just a few spots ahead. “I want to emphasise again that these cities, seen from an international perspective, are still doing well,” said Arcadis researcher John Boon, explaining that the standard within the Netherlands is just set very high.

Rotterdam is mainly dealing with less healthy mobility options, while The Hague is also dealing with higher accident rates. “What cities should pay more attention to is greening in addition to densification. This can be done by building slightly higher or by converting excess paving into greenery,” suggested Boon. “This appears to be one of the most effective means of reducing stress. You can clearly see this in green cities such as Apeldoorn.”

Which cities in the Netherlands are the healthiest?

According to the Healthy City Index, these are the top 10 healthiest Dutch cities:

1. Apeldoorn
2. Maastricht
3. Groningen
4. Nijmegen
5. Arnhem
6. Amersfoort
7. Almere
8. Emmen
9. Leeuwarden
10. Zwolle

To see the full ranking and find out more about the study, visit the Arcadis website.

Thumb image credit: R. de Bruijn_Photography / Shutterstock.com