Groningen Leads Dutch House Price Growth

Prices of existing owner-occupied homes in the Netherlands rose by 4.2% year on year in the second quarter of 2026. Groningen recorded the strongest increase among the provinces, while Amsterdam posted the weakest growth among the country’s four largest cities.

Dutch House Price Growth Continues to Slow

The second quarter was the tenth consecutive quarter in which existing home prices exceeded their year-earlier level. Growth nevertheless continued to lose momentum. Prices were up 5.2% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 4.2% in the second.

Prices increased by 0.9% from the previous quarter. The national index reached 154.9, with the average for 2020 set at 100. On this measure, the price level was 54.9% above the base-year average.

The index should not be confused with the average amount paid for a home. An average transaction price depends on the composition of properties sold during a particular period. A larger share of expensive homes can raise the average without producing an equivalent change in the prices of comparable properties.

A total of 58,952 existing-home transactions were registered during the quarter, 2.7% more than in the same period of 2025.

Groningen Leads the Provincial Ranking

Prices in Groningen province increased by 7.9%, the highest rate among the 12 provinces. Transaction numbers rose by only 1%. Drenthe had recorded the strongest provincial price growth in each of the previous two quarters.

Drenthe placed second with growth of 5.7%, followed by Gelderland at 5.6% and Friesland at 5.3%. Prices rose by 4.9% in Limburg, 4.6% in South Holland, 4.5% in Overijssel and 4.3% in North Brabant.

Zeeland recorded an increase of 4%, while prices rose by 3.7% in Utrecht province and 3.2% in Flevoland. North Holland had the weakest provincial price growth at 2.4%.

The correct provincial comparison is therefore between Groningen and North Holland. Amsterdam is covered separately as a municipality and should not be treated as the geographical equivalent of a province.

Flevoland Records the Strongest Sales Growth

Transaction trends differed substantially from the price ranking. Flevoland recorded a 13.6% increase in sales, the highest among the provinces. Transactions rose by 8.9% in Overijssel, 6.2% in Limburg, 5.1% in North Brabant and 4.5% in Friesland.

Sales increased by 3.5% in Drenthe, 2% in South Holland and 1.4% in Utrecht province. Groningen recorded growth of 1%, followed by Zeeland at 0.7% and Gelderland at 0.5%.

North Holland was the only province where the number of transactions declined. Sales fell by 1.1% compared with the second quarter of 2025.

Amsterdam Trails the Other Major Cities

The city-level section of the study covers Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. The Hague recorded the strongest price increase among the four, at 4.5%. Transaction numbers in the city rose by 3.5%.

Prices increased by 3.2% in Rotterdam, while sales declined by 0.4%. The city of Utrecht recorded a 2.2% price rise and a 1.3% increase in transactions.

Amsterdam posted the weakest price movement among the four cities. Existing home prices rose by 0.8%, while the number of transactions fell by 2.8%.

The published figures measure price and transaction changes but do not establish why the cities and provinces performed differently.

Houses Outpace Apartments

Detached and semi-detached houses recorded the strongest price growth, with both categories rising by 5.5%. A semi-detached house is one of two homes joined by a shared wall.

Transactions involving detached homes declined by 0.4%, making this the only property category to record fewer sales than a year earlier. Sales of semi-detached houses increased by 2.7%.

Corner houses in terraced developments rose in price by 4.4%, while transactions increased by 3.9%. Mid-terrace houses became 4% more expensive. Sales in this category rose by 4.6%, the strongest increase among the property types.

Apartments recorded the slowest price growth at 3.2%. Apartment transactions increased by 1.9%.

How the Dutch House Price Index Is Calculated

Statistics Netherlands and the country’s Land Registry compiled the figures jointly. The study covers existing homes located in the Netherlands and sold to private individuals. Newly built properties, houseboats, caravans used as homes and non-independent residential units are excluded.

The index compares registered transaction prices with the most recent official property valuations. Its formula includes an adjustment for possible overvaluation or undervaluation in those assessments. This approach provides a more reliable measure of price development than changes in the simple average purchase price.

The quarterly series covers all 12 provinces, the four largest municipalities and five housing types. The figures are based on registered transactions rather than preliminary agreements, according to the official methodology and quarterly release.

Indices for individual categories can fluctuate when only a small number of properties are sold. Longer-term data should therefore be considered alongside a single quarterly reading.

Dutch Housing Market Outlook

De Nederlandsche Bank expects the housing market to cool further. Its spring forecast projects annual price growth of approximately 3% to 4% between 2026 and 2028, substantially below the 8.7% average increase recorded in 2025.

Higher mortgage rates and weaker consumer confidence are expected to restrain demand. Supply is also being supported by former rental properties entering the owner-occupied market. Despite slowing price growth, affordability remains historically poor for first-time buyers, low- and middle-income households and single applicants, according to the bank’s housing market assessment.

As International Investment experts report, Groningen’s 7.9% price increase does not by itself establish that the province offers the country’s strongest investment prospects. Transactions there rose by only 1%, while Flevoland recorded a 13.6% increase in sales and a more moderate 3.2% rise in prices. The dataset contains no information about rents, vacancy, taxation, maintenance costs or net yields and therefore cannot support a complete investment ranking. Amsterdam’s weak quarterly result should likewise not be treated as evidence of a long-term decline without comparison against a longer time series.

FAQ About Dutch House Prices

How much did Dutch house prices increase?

Existing home prices rose by 4.2% year on year and 0.9% quarter on quarter in the second quarter of 2026.

Where did prices rise fastest?

Groningen led the provinces with an increase of 7.9%. The Hague led the four largest cities with growth of 4.5%.

Why should Groningen and Amsterdam not be compared directly?

The Groningen figure covers an entire province, while the Amsterdam figure covers one municipality. North Holland, where prices rose by 2.4%, is the appropriate provincial comparison.

What happened to house prices in Amsterdam?

Existing home prices increased by 0.8%, the weakest growth among the four largest cities. Transactions declined by 2.8%.

How many homes were sold during the quarter?

A total of 58,952 transactions were registered, 2.7% more than a year earlier.

Does the index include new-build homes?

No. The figures cover existing homes sold to private individuals and exclude newly built properties.