Living in De Meeuwen
De Meeuwen is densely built and genuinely urban, and the stock is a genuine mix of apartments and family houses (47% houses).
At 8,835 residents per km² the buurt is busy without being packed.
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 Meeuwen
The average home value (WOZ) in De Meeuwen is €404,000, which puts it at #33 of 100 neighborhoods in Groningen — 20% pricier than most of the city. You pay for the location here. For scale: Groningen's cheapest buurt averages €192,000 and its priciest €898,000, so De Meeuwen sits in the middle of the pack.
Average WOZ value per year (CBS). The reference date lags the current market by ±1 year.
2015: €218,000 · 2016: €223,000 · 2017: €230,000 · 2018: €243,000 · 2019: €257,000 · 2020: €273,000 · 2021: €294,000 · 2022: €309,000 · 2023: €357,000 · 2024: €390,000 · 2025: €404,000
The direction of the market: between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value here rose from €218,000 to €404,000, up 85% — slower than the city as a whole (+112%). WOZ values lag the market by about a year, but the trend itself is reliable.
Ownership is split: 58% owner-occupied against 42% rental, including 13% social housing. Enough homes trade hands to give you comparable sales, but check what's actually for sale versus rented in the specific block you're eyeing — the mix can flip from one street to the next.
Who lives here
Demographically, De Meeuwen is heavily student-flavored, with the 15-to-25 group unusually large (34% of its 1,930 residents), followed by 25-to-45 year olds at 27%. More than half of all households (73%) are single-person — this is a neighborhood of independents, not minivans. The average household counts 1.4 people.
As for who your neighbors would be: incomes lean modest — 46% of households are among the country's lower earners.
Daily errands, coffee and dinner
Day to day: plan your groceries: the nearest large supermarket is 1.0 km away; eating out is the default here — around 25 cafés and restaurants inside a kilometer.
The practical checklist most buyers forget to make: pharmacy 11 min walk · GP 7 min · hospital 1.2 km · library 1.6 km · 3 cinemas within 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 12 minutes on foot; daycare is 1.0 km away — check waiting lists early, they are long everywhere in the Netherlands; secondary school is a 6-minute bike ride, which Dutch teenagers do in all weather.
Getting around
Getting around: the station is a 6-minute cycle, standard Dutch commuting range; a highway on-ramp 1.1 km away makes car trips easy — check whether through-traffic noise reaches the street you're considering; and at 0.5 cars per household, most residents simply don't own one — if you do, factor in permit costs and waiting lists before you buy.
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 De Meeuwen
Before you bid in De Meeuwen: the national soil map leaves built-up areas unclassified, and city centres like this one often sit on peat, 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, 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.
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 Meeuwen a good neighborhood to live in?
That depends on what you're looking for. De Meeuwen suits buyers after city buzz best; it's a weaker match for first-time buyers, families with children and buyers after peace and space. The average home value is €404,000 (20% pricier than most of Groningen) and the neighborhood has 1,930 residents. Ultimately the specific street and home matter more than the neighborhood average.
What is the average home value in De Meeuwen?
The average home value (WOZ waarde) in De Meeuwen, Groningen is €404,000, based on the official CBS neighborhood statistics.
Is De Meeuwen mostly owner-occupied or rental?
58% of homes in De Meeuwen are owner-occupied and 42% are rentals, of which 13% of all homes are social housing (woningcorporatie).
Are house prices in De Meeuwen rising?
Between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value in De Meeuwen rose from €218,000 to €404,000 (+85%); 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 Meeuwen?
70% of homes in De Meeuwen were built before 2000 and 30% 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 Meeuwen?
The average distance to a train station from De Meeuwen is 1.4 km; a large supermarket is 1.0 km away on average.
Is De Meeuwen an expensive part of Groningen?
Yes — homes in De Meeuwen cost about 20% more than in most of Groningen, so budget for competition and possible overbidding.
Is De Meeuwen good for families with children?
The nearest primary school is 1.0 km away and there are 1 daycare locations within a kilometer. 12% of households here have children at home.
Is there foundation risk in De Meeuwen?
De Meeuwen stands out for foundation risk — in built-up areas the national soil map doesn't classify the ground, and city centres often sit on peat. Around 54% of homes here predate 1970, the era when wooden or shallow foundations were common. According to the Klimaateffectatlas, the risk of pile rot in this neighbourhood is very low. This says nothing about any individual property: only a physical foundation inspection can establish its condition. Ask for the foundation risk class (A–E) in the valuation report.
Similar neighborhoods in Groningen
Closest in price — worth a look if De Meeuwen is out of reach or you want alternatives.
Source: CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten — latest complete release (buurt BU00140100) · Updated 2026-08-09. WOZ values are neighborhood averages; individual homes vary.