Oud Empel, Den Bosch

Living in Oud Empel

Oud Empel is town feel without the crowds — amenities close by, calm on the street, and most of its 37 homes are houses rather than apartments — front doors, gardens, street parking.

With just 110 residents per km², this is space by Dutch standards. Water makes up 24% of its surface — canals and waterfront are part of daily scenery here, and so are the price tags of homes that face them.

Den Bosch pairs one of the most enjoyable historic centers in the south with prosperous, green suburbs. It's the Brabant market where charm carries a clear premium — homes within walking distance of the old town sell fast.

The housing market in Oud Empel

At €860,000 average WOZ value, Oud Empel ranks 3 out of 88 Den Bosch neighborhoods on price — 101% pricier than most of the city. You pay for the location here. For scale: Den Bosch's cheapest buurt averages €253,000 and its priciest €1,145,000, so Oud Empel sits among the city's pricier neighbourhoods.

The direction of the market: between 2019 and 2025 the average WOZ value here rose from €572,000 to €860,000, up 50% — faster than the city as a whole (+43%). WOZ values lag the market by about a year, but the trend itself is reliable.

With 89% of homes owner-occupied, this is a settled buyers' neighborhood — homes change hands regularly, and you can usually find recent comparable sales on the same street to anchor your bid. Settled also means slower: owners here tend to stay, so the best houses may only list once a decade.

Who lives here

Demographically, Oud Empel is dominated by established households in the 45-to-65 bracket (42% of its 100 residents), followed by over-65s at 19%. 49% of households have children at home, so expect school runs, playgrounds in use, and neighbors who stay put. The average household counts 2.9 people.

Daily errands, coffee and dinner

Day to day: plan your groceries: the nearest large supermarket is 1.4 km away; dining out means a short trip: only 1 café or restaurant sit within a kilometer.

The practical checklist most buyers forget to make: pharmacy 16 min walk · GP 14 min · hospital 2.3 km · library 6.5 km. None of these will decide a purchase on their own, but a GP taking new patients nearby is the kind of thing you only miss after moving.

Families and schools

For families: the nearest primary school is 16 minutes on foot; daycare is 1.1 km away — check waiting lists early, they are long everywhere in the Netherlands; secondary school is a 20-minute bike ride, which Dutch teenagers do in all weather.

Getting around

Getting around: the nearest train station is 5.5 km out, so day-to-day life here leans on the car or bus; the nearest highway on-ramp is 4.6 km away.

Energy and running costs

Since 70% of the stock predates 2000, always check the energy label of a specific listing — the difference between label C and label F on an average home here is easily a few thousand euros a year in heating, and it changes what you can sensibly bid.

Before you bid in Oud Empel

Before you bid in Oud Empel: in a premium buurt the risk isn't buying a bad home, it's overpaying for a good one — anchor your bid on recent sales of comparable homes, not on the asking price. Also, family neighborhoods like this one turn over slowly; when a good house appears it often goes to the first serious, well-prepared bidder.

None of these averages can tell you whether the specific house you found is fairly priced — that depends on its size, energy label, state of maintenance and the recent sales around it. That is exactly what a free HomeReview report checks, in about 10 seconds, for any Dutch address.

Frequently asked questions

Similar neighborhoods in Den Bosch

Closest in price — worth a look if Oud Empel is out of reach or you want alternatives.