Renting an Apartment in Dordrecht

Dordrecht isn't the first city most people think of when looking for an apartment. And that's precisely what makes it interesting. This is a city of 123,000 inhabitants on its own island – the Island of Dordt – surrounded by the Merwede, Oude Maas, and Noord rivers, boasting almost 1,600 monuments in a medieval street plan that has barely changed in centuries. Rotterdam is twenty minutes away by train. The Biesbosch, one of Europe's last freshwater tidal areas, begins at the city's edge. And the rental market, while tightening, is still more accessible than in the larger South Holland cities.

This is a guide to the neighborhoods, the city's character, and what to expect when looking for an apartment in Dordrecht.

A city shaped by water and trade

Dordrecht was granted city rights in 1220 – making it the oldest city in the historic county of Holland. In 1572, the first free assembly of the States-General took place in the Augustinian Monastery, now known as Het Hof van Nederland (The Court of the Netherlands), laying the foundation for the Dutch Republic. The Voorstraat, at 1,200 meters, is the longest shopping street in the Netherlands, following the spine of the old city. The Wijnhaven and Voorstraathaven still follow the course of the original Thure River. The Grote Kerk – the Dordrecht Minster – with its 65-meter-high tower, dominates the skyline; those who climb the 275 steps look out over a river junction that is among Europe's busiest waterways.

But Dordrecht is not just about the past. The Energiehuis, a former power station, has been transformed into a cultural hotspot with music venue Bibelot, theatre, hospitality, and workspaces. Villa Augustus – a restaurant, hotel, and kitchen garden in a nineteenth-century pumping station and water tower – has become one of the city's most famous destinations. Schouwburg Kunstmin and the Dordrechts Museum complete a cultural offering you wouldn't expect from a city of this size. And then there's the Waterbus: a fast ferry connection that links Dordrecht by water to Rotterdam, the Drechtsteden, and the Biesbosch.

Spacious apartment on the Spuiboulevard

€1,160 / month

Spuiboulevard 31, Dordrecht

1

89 m²

3/3/2026

Apartment

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Bright apartment in Dubbeldam-Noord

€1,995 / month

Koningstraat, Dordrecht

2

98 m²

4/1/2026

Apartment

Spacious apartment (96 m²) with energy label A

€1,360 / month

Van Ravesteyn-erf 76, Dordrecht

2

96 m²

3/24/2026

Apartment

Spacious 4-room apartment near Weizigtpark

€895 / month

Van Baerleplantsoen, Dordrecht

3

94 m²

Immediately

Apartment

Living with a view in the heart of Dordrecht

€1,495 / month

Spuiboulevard 91, Dordrecht

2

71 m²

3/3/2026

Apartment

Luxury 2-bedroom apartment with roof terrace

€2,450 / month

Achterom 60, Dordrecht

2

79 m²

1/14/2026

Apartment

The city center: monuments, canals, and upper-floor apartments

The historic city center of Dordrecht houses almost a thousand monuments in a compact area between the Voorstraat, the Spuiboulevard, and the harbors. Here you'll find the oldest buildings, the narrowest façades, and the most beautiful views – over the Wijnhaven, from the Groothoofdspoort, along the Nieuwe Haven. The apartment offerings in the city center primarily consist of upper-floor apartments in monumental buildings and newer apartments around Statenplein and Spuiboulevard. Scheffersplein is the city's terrace square; the Sarisgang and Statenplein host the weekly market on Fridays and Saturdays.

Living in the city center means everything is within walking distance: shops, restaurants, museums, and the train station a five-minute walk away. The downside: parking is limited and paid, the streets are medievally narrow (moving is a logistical puzzle), and on evenings out around Scheffersplein, noise levels can be high. But for those who prefer atmosphere and history over square meters, there's little in South Holland that competes with this.

The 19th-Century Shell and Reeland: character without the crowds

Directly surrounding the city center are the neighborhoods built in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Reeland, south of the center, is the clearest example: a mix of townhouses and working-class homes from the early twentieth century, with a charming appearance that has increasingly attracted young couples and families in recent years. The neighborhood is within walking distance of the center but has its own quieter atmosphere with local shops and parks nearby.

The area around Oranjelaan and Wantijpark – where Villa Augustus is also located – offers a similar combination: close to the center, close to the water, with a mix of older and newer buildings. Kinepolis cinema and the Energiehuis are just around the corner. For those seeking an apartment with the advantages of central living but without the limitations of a medieval street pattern, this ring offers the best balance.

Sterrenburg: the largest family neighborhood

With approximately 22,000 inhabitants, Sterrenburg is Dordrecht's largest neighborhood, built from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The neighborhood is divided into three parts, each with its own character: partly gallery flats, partly single-family homes, with its own shopping center and Sterrenburgpark as a green backbone. Oostkilpark extends to Wielwijkpark, forming a continuous green zone.

The great asset of Sterrenburg is its location: the neighborhood borders the Dordtse Biesbosch, the nature and recreation area that forms the transition to the Biesbosch National Park. You can cycle into the polders in ten minutes. Dordrecht Zuid station serves the neighborhood, and the N3 provides quick access to the A16 towards Breda and Rotterdam. The apartment offerings here consist of a mix of porch apartments, gallery flats, and newer complexes – typically more spacious and more affordable than in the city center.

Crabbehof and Wielwijk: in transition

The neighborhoods on the southwest side of the city – Crabbehof, Wielwijk, and Zuidhoven – were built in the 1950s and 1960s and tell the story of post-war urban expansion. Crabbehof is named after the small castle of the same name, which still stands in the neighborhood and now functions as a conference center. The urban design is characteristic: square green spaces inspired by medieval courtyards, streets named after Dutch statesmen – Thorbecke, Troelstra, Colijn – and its own shopping center with about forty stores.

Wielwijk is a post-war neighborhood where outdated housing stock has been replaced by new-build in several places. Admiraalsplein is the heart of the neighborhood. Zuidhoven, nestled between Crabbehof and the polders, has a different character: more detached houses, larger plots, more greenery.

These neighborhoods are not the most sought-after in Dordrecht – social issues are more prevalent here than in Sterrenburg or Dubbeldam. But rental prices are proportionally lower, and the restructuring is yielding new-build apartments that are just as good in quality as elsewhere in the city. Those willing to look past the reputation will find opportunities here that do not exist elsewhere in Dordrecht.

Dubbeldam and Stadspolders: space on the east side

Dubbeldam was an independent village until 1970 and has retained that village character: wide avenues, lots of greenery, spacious houses with gardens, its own schools, and sports facilities. It is Dordrecht's most sought-after family neighborhood – quiet, well-maintained, but not cheap. The apartment offerings here are more limited than in other neighborhoods; those looking here will primarily find single-family homes.

Stadspolders, built in the 1980s and 1990s, connects to Dubbeldam and offers a similar combination of urban proximity and polder tranquility. The Vissershoek and Oudelandshoek neighborhoods were added later. On one side, the city with all its amenities; on the other, the Wantij, the Bilderbos, and the Biesbosch. Dordrecht Stadspolders station makes the neighborhood accessible by train.

What you need to know when responding

The supply of apartments in the free sector in Dordrecht is limited, and popular properties attract multiple candidates. Speed matters: ensure your proof of income, employer's statement, and identification are immediately available when you respond. On our platform, you can set up an alert to be notified instantly when a new apartment that matches your search criteria comes online.

When comparing properties, always pay attention to the difference between basic rent and service charges. In older complexes, service charges can increase significantly; in new-builds, they are often better specified. During a viewing, ask about the energy label – in a city with many older buildings, the difference in heating costs between a poorly and well-insulated apartment can be substantial.