Living in De Held
De Held is moderately urban — city amenities without the crush, and the housing is dominated by single-family houses (86%), which is what draws settlers rather than passers-through.
With just 2,751 residents per km², this is space by Dutch standards.
Groningen is a student city first: a substantial share of residents are enrolled somewhere, rental demand is constant, and buyers compete for a limited stock of family homes. For older properties in the wider region, ask about earthquake and subsidence history linked to the gas field.
The housing market in De Held
At €372,000 average WOZ value, De Held ranks 32 out of 100 Groningen neighborhoods on price — 18% above the city median. That premium is the location speaking. For scale: Groningen's cheapest buurt averages €200,000 and its most expensive €813,000, so De Held sits in the middle band of the city.
Average WOZ value per year (CBS). The reference date lags the current market by ±1 year.
The direction of the market: between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value here rose from €208,000 to €402,000, up 93% — slower than the city as a whole (+112%). WOZ values lag the market by about a year, but the trend itself is reliable.
With 88% 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, De Held is dominated by established households in the 45-to-65 bracket (33% of its 2,480 residents), followed by 25-to-45 year olds at 21%. 42% of households have children at home, so expect school runs, playgrounds in use, and neighbors who stay put. The average household counts 2.4 people.
As for who your neighbors would be: incomes are broadly middle-of-the-road (26% high-income, 20% low-income households).
Daily errands, coffee and dinner
Day to day: plan your groceries: the nearest large supermarket is 1.4 km away; this is not a going-out neighborhood — the cafés are elsewhere.
The practical checklist most buyers forget to make: pharmacy 19 min walk · GP 6 min · hospital 5.6 km · library 1.3 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 0.6 km away — check waiting lists early, they are long everywhere in the Netherlands; secondary school is an 8-minute bike ride, which Dutch teenagers do in all weather.
Getting around
Getting around: the nearest train station is 3.7 km out, so day-to-day life here leans on the car or bus; a highway on-ramp 1.5 km away makes car trips easy — check whether through-traffic noise reaches the street you're considering; households here average 1.1 cars, so assume driveways and parking are part of daily logistics.
Energy and running costs
93% of homes were built before 2000. Two identical-looking houses on the same street can differ by hundreds of euros a month once heating is counted — the energy label tells you which one you're looking at, and lenders increasingly price it into your mortgage too.
Before you bid in De Held
Before you bid in De Held: much of Groningen sits on soft soil, and pre-1970 homes may stand on wooden piles — since the 2026 appraisal rules, a foundation risk class (A–E) appears in every valuation, so check it before you bid, not after the deal is already emotional. 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
Is De Held a good neighborhood to live in?
That depends on what you're looking for. De Held suits families with children best; it's a weaker match for first-time buyers and buyers after city buzz. The average home value is €372,000 (18% above the Groningen median) and the neighborhood has 2,480 residents. Ultimately the specific street and home matter more than the neighborhood average.
What is the average home value in De Held?
The average home value (WOZ waarde) in De Held, Groningen is €372,000, based on the official CBS neighborhood statistics.
Is De Held mostly owner-occupied or rental?
88% of homes in De Held are owner-occupied and 12% are rentals, of which 10% of all homes are social housing (woningcorporatie).
Are house prices in De Held rising?
Between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value in De Held rose from €208,000 to €402,000 (+93%); Groningen as a whole moved up 112% over the same period. WOZ values lag the current market by about a year.
How old are the homes in De Held?
93% of homes in De Held were built before 2000 and 7% after. Older buildings can mean higher maintenance and energy costs — check the energy label before bidding.
How far is the nearest train station from De Held?
The average distance to a train station from De Held is 3.7 km; a large supermarket is 1.4 km away on average.
Is De Held an expensive part of Groningen?
Yes — average home values in De Held are 18% above the Groningen median, so budget for competition and possible overbidding.
Is De Held good for families with children?
The nearest primary school is 1.3 km away and there are 1 daycare locations within a kilometer. 42% of households here have children at home.
Similar neighborhoods in Groningen
Closest in price — worth a look if De Held is out of reach or you want alternatives.
Source: CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten (buurt BU00140906) · Data updated 2026-07-11. WOZ values are neighborhood averages; individual homes vary.