Burgemeesterswijk, Leiden

Living in Burgemeesterswijk

Burgemeesterswijk is city living in its most compact form, and most of its 771 homes are houses rather than apartments — front doors, gardens, street parking.

At 7,050 residents per km² the buurt is busy without being packed.

Leiden's market is squeezed between a historic center, a major university and bio-science employment at the Bio Science Park — small homes, high demand, and canal-side charm at Randstad prices. Student rental demand keeps investors circling the same stock buyers want.

The housing market in Burgemeesterswijk

At €745,000 average WOZ value, Burgemeesterswijk ranks 2 out of 52 Leiden neighborhoods on price — 84% above the city median. You pay for the location here. For scale: Leiden's cheapest buurt averages €263,000 and its most expensive €746,000, so Burgemeesterswijk sits in the upper band of the city.

The direction of the market: between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value here rose from €428,000 to €761,000, up 78% — slower than the city as a whole (+115%). WOZ values lag the market by about a year, but the trend itself is reliable.

With 87% 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, Burgemeesterswijk is dominated by established households in the 45-to-65 bracket (31% of its 1,970 residents), followed by over-65s at 22%. 40% of households have children at home, so expect school runs, playgrounds in use, and neighbors who stay put. The average household counts 2.5 people.

As for who your neighbors would be: 51% of households sit in the country's top income bracket — which helps explain both the café density and the bidding behavior.

Daily errands, coffee and dinner

Day to day: the nearest large supermarket is about 11 minutes' walk; there are about 13 cafés and restaurants within walking distance — enough choice without the crowds.

The practical checklist most buyers forget to make: pharmacy 4 min walk · GP 2 min · hospital 3.6 km · library 1.3 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: 3 primary schools within a kilometer means real choice — and short bike rides; daycare is well covered (7 locations nearby) — though Dutch waiting lists mean you register the week you know you're expecting, not the week you need it; secondary school is a 2-minute bike ride, which Dutch teenagers do in all weather.

Getting around

Getting around: the train station is 11 minutes on foot — commuting without a car is the natural choice; a highway on-ramp 1.5 km away makes car trips easy — check whether through-traffic noise reaches the street you're considering; car ownership is moderate (0.9 per household).

Energy and running costs

99% 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 Burgemeesterswijk

Before you bid in Burgemeesterswijk: much of Leiden 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, 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. Beyond that, 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 Leiden

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