Renting a Home in Groningen
From a student city to a municipality of 240,000 inhabitants — with villages, polders, and an outer ring where families can affordably live.
Groningen is more than just its city center and surrounding neighborhoods. Since the municipal reclassification in 2019, when Haren and Ten Boer merged with the city, the municipality now covers almost 200 square kilometers — from the Reitdiep in the northwest to the forests of Glimmen in the south, from the Hondsrug in the east to the polders near Hoogkerk in the west. Those considering renting a home in Groningen are looking at a municipality with seven districts, dozens of villages, and a housing market that offers much more than just upper floors in the Schildersbuurt.
Houses in Groningen
Sixty percent of Groningen's housing stock is rental — the highest percentage of all major municipalities outside the Randstad. Six housing corporations (Nijestee, Lefier, De Huismeesters, Patrimonium, Wierden en Borgen, Woonborg) collectively manage about 32 percent of all homes. This corporate dominance makes Groningen a city where social housing is a real alternative, provided you are willing to look outside the center and are patient with waiting lists. But even in the free market, the supply is broader than in the Randstad, and prices are lower.
The Outer Ring: Vinkhuizen, Beijum, and Lewenborg
The outer ring of Groningen consists of neighborhoods built between the 1960s and 1990s to accommodate the growing city. These are the neighborhoods with the most single-family homes, the largest gardens, and the lowest rents.
Vinkhuizen, in the far west, is one of the city's most affordable neighborhoods. The distance to the center is relatively large — a fifteen-minute bike ride — but the neighborhood has its own shops, schools, and bus connections. Many students and young couples live here, preferring the low rents over the atmosphere of the older, inner-city neighborhoods. The neighborhood has been designated as a revitalization area, meaning that investments in housing improvement and public spaces will be made in the coming years.
Beijum and Lewenborg, in the northeast, are Groningen's large family neighborhoods. Beijum, built from the 1970s onwards, has its own shopping center and is located next to the Kardinge recreational area with an ice rink, swimming pool, and sports hall. Lewenborg, built slightly later, borders the Hunzepark. Both neighborhoods predominantly consist of single-family homes with gardens, interspersed with apartment complexes. Corporations Lefier and Patrimonium own significant portions of the housing stock here. For those looking for an affordable rental home in Groningen with space for a family, Beijum and Lewenborg are logical starting points.
€1,550 / month
€785 / month
€1,300 / month
€1,600 / month
Corpus den Hoorn, Hoornse Meer, and the Southern Flank
South of the city center, beyond Helpman and De Wijert, lie Corpus den Hoorn and Hoornse Meer — neighborhoods that mark the transition from city to landscape. Corpus den Hoorn is a post-war neighborhood with a mix of single-family homes and flats, close to the southern ring road and the Martini Hospital. Hoornse Meer is a younger district from the late twentieth century, built around the eponymous lake that borders Drenthe. The neighborhood features a modern urban design, a surf beach, a skate park, and a public Montessori school.
The Rivierenbuurt, west of the Central Station, is adjacent to the Stadspark — the large city park where the Liberation Festival and Stadspark Live take place. The neighborhood offers a mix of townhouses and single-family homes and is popular with young professionals who combine proximity to the station with green surroundings. The adjacent Grunobuurt is currently being redeveloped by Nijestee, including Couchette 1B — a wooden residential building with 29 sustainable homes.
Hoogkerk: The Former Village
Hoogkerk was an independent municipality until 1969 and has retained its village character. The neighborhood is located on the west side of the city, near the A7 motorway, and has its own schools, childcare, shops, and supermarkets. There are single-family homes from various periods, and apartments for seniors. Many residents stay for a long time — turnover is low, which says something about satisfaction. The distance to the center is greater than from the inner-city neighborhoods, but bus connections are frequent, and the A7 provides quick access to the rest of the North.
Between Hoogkerk and the city lie De Held and Gravenburg, smaller neighborhoods with a similar profile. Reitdiep, to the northwest, is a new development area along the eponymous waterway — the former river that once connected to the Wadden Sea. Homes in Reitdiep are newer, the architecture more contemporary, and the price level higher than in Hoogkerk or Vinkhuizen.
Haren: The Green Southern Edge
Haren, part of the municipality of Groningen since 2019 despite fierce local resistance, is a different universe than the city. The former village — with its villa district, the Hortus Haren, the Biological Centre, and the forests of Gorecht — has traditionally been the residence of professors, medical specialists, and directors. The homes are larger, the gardens more spacious, the atmosphere more rural.
For those looking to rent a home in Groningen but preferring green and quiet over urban bustle, Haren is an option — albeit a more expensive one. The rental housing supply in Haren is smaller than in the city and predominantly free market. The villages south of Haren — Glimmen, Onnen, and Noordlaren — offer even more rural charm, with farms, farmlands, and a direct connection to the Drenthe Hondsrug landscape. These are not easy places to find a rental home, but properties occasionally become available.
Houses Price Breakdown in Groningen
| Size | Average | Median | Price Range | Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100-150 | €1,698 | €1,675 | €785 - €2,300 | 1 |
150+ | €2,061 | €1,795 | €1,595 - €3,250 | 0 / 7 |
50-75 | €1,433 | €1,355 | €1,125 - €1,895 | 0 / 4 |
75-100 | €1,827 | €1,850 | €1,300 - €2,250 | 1 |
<50 | €1,570 | €1,525 | €700 - €3,879 | 2 |
Ten Boer and Meerstad
Ten Boer, the other former village that was added to Groningen in 2019, is located northeast of the city in the earthquake-affected area. The village has its own shopping center (Koopmansplein), a church, and a community strongly focused on itself. The earthquake issue — damage, reinforcement, uncertainty — is not an abstract theme here but a daily reality. Homes are cheaper than in the city, but the situation regarding earthquake damage warrants attention for any rental property you consider.
Meerstad, the large new development location east of the city, is formally part of the Ten Boer area but functions as an urban extension of Groningen. The neighborhood is being built in phases with single-family homes, apartments, and amenities, targeting families seeking new build quality within cycling distance of the city. Rental properties in Meerstad are predominantly free market and mid-range rent.
UMCG and Employers
The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is the largest employer in the Northern Netherlands with over 12,000 employees. Additionally, the University of Groningen, the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Gasunie, DUO, and the Tax Authorities attract thousands of employees. Those considering renting a home in Groningen for work should logically look at the employer's location: the UMCG is south of the city center (Helpman and Oosterpoort are nearby), DUO and the Tax Authorities are in Europapark, and Gasunie is on Concourslaan in the south.
Neighborhood Revitalization
Groningen consistently invests in neighborhood revitalization. The current revitalization neighborhoods are De Hoogte/Indische Buurt, Beijum, Lewenborg, De Wijert, Vinkhuizen, and Selwerd. This means demolition of outdated complexes, new construction, renovation of existing homes, and improvement of public spaces. For tenants, this can be positive — the home becomes better — but it can also mean temporary inconvenience and rehousing. Inquire with the corporation about the status of any renovation plans.
Cycling City
Groningen is the cycling city of the Netherlands. The center is largely car-free, the cycling network is extensive, and distances are compact. From almost every neighborhood, you can reach the city center within fifteen minutes. This puts the choice between a home in the inner-city neighborhoods and one in the outer ring into perspective: the difference lies in atmosphere and space, not in travel time.
Renting a Home in Groningen: The Ring Logic
The Groningen housing market is organized in concentric rings. The city center and the Diepenring form the most expensive and scarcest segment — mainly apartments, primarily private rentals. The surrounding neighborhoods (Schildersbuurt, Korrewegwijk, Oosterpoort) offer the most charm and the fiercest competition. The post-war ring (Paddepoel, Selwerd, De Wijert, Corpus den Hoorn) offers more space and lower rents. The outer ring (Vinkhuizen, Beijum, Lewenborg, Hoogkerk) is the cheapest and most spacious. Beyond that are the villages: Haren for those who can afford it, Ten Boer for those who accept the earthquake context, Meerstad for those seeking new construction.
For anyone looking for a rental home in Groningen: the city is compact enough to live anywhere. By bike, you can reach the Grote Markt from Beijum as quickly as from Oosterpoort in bad weather. The question is not where you get there fastest, but where you feel most comfortable — and what you are willing to pay for that atmosphere.
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