Renting a Home in Haarlem-East

Haarlem-East is located to the east of the Spaarne and the city center. The district has about 21,700 inhabitants, divided into five neighborhoods, each representing a different piece of Haarlem's building history. The Amsterdamse Buurt dates from the early twentieth century. The Boerhaavewijk is from the sixties. The Slachthuisbuurt is currently changing from an industrial area into a residential neighborhood. And running through it all is the edge of the Haarlemmerhout, the oldest city park in the Netherlands.

Renting a home in Haarlem-East means choosing between neighborhoods that are within a kilometer of each other but were built decades apart.

Amsterdamse Buurt: Early-Twentieth-Century

The Amsterdamse Buurt has 8,190 inhabitants (2025) and consists of four sub-neighborhoods: the Oude Amsterdamse Buurt, the Potgieterbuurt, the Cremerbuurt, and the Van Zeggelenbuurt. 84% of the homes date from before 2000, with the largest share built between 1900 and 1925.

The architecture is characteristic of that period: closed building blocks, brick facades, bay windows, narrow streets. It's the kind of neighborhood that has become unaffordable in Amsterdam itself. In Haarlem, rents are lower, but the atmosphere is comparable. The Amsterdamse Buurt attracts renters who know and recognize the capital.

Parkwijk and the Haarlemmerhout

The Parkwijk borders the Haarlemmerhout. 6,865 inhabitants (2025), a neighborhood that derives its character from the park. The Haarlemmerhout is the oldest city park in the Netherlands. The forest, for that is what it essentially is, forms the green buffer between the city center and the eastern districts. On Sundays, entire families walk through it. On Tuesdays, it's quiet.

The houses on the edge of the park are sought after. The combination of old forest and short distance to the center makes the Parkwijk one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the East. The Zijlwegkwartier, which borders the Parkwijk and includes Leidsebuurt-Oost, has the highest WOZ values in the district.

Slachthuisbuurt: The Great Transformation

The Slachthuisbuurt is named after the slaughterhouse that opened here in 1907. The neighborhood has been officially called Slachthuiswijk since 2016, but everyone still says Slachthuisbuurt. 6,745 inhabitants (2025). It's the neighborhood that is changing the most rapidly.

On the former slaughterhouse site, 160 owner-occupied and rental homes will be built. 7,000 square meters of heritage will be preserved: the original slaughterhouse, the director's residence, the canteen, the water tower, and the stables will be given new functions. Project Blauwe Wetering will add 429 starter apartments. Another 300 homes will be added at the edges of the neighborhood.

The completion of the Slachthuisterrein is expected around 2026. Blauwe Wetering will start construction in the second half of 2026. For renters looking in a year or two, the Slachthuisbuurt will become the district with the most new offerings in all of Haarlem-East.

Boerhaavewijk: Sixties

The Boerhaavewijk has 9,540 inhabitants (2025) and is the largest part of East in terms of resident numbers. The architecture is from the sixties: flats, portico homes, wide streets. It is the most affordable neighborhood in the East and the area with the highest percentage of rental homes.

Haarlem Spaarnwoude Station is located on the edge of the Boerhaavewijk. Intercity trains to Amsterdam, Leiden, The Hague, and Rotterdam stop here. Sprinters run to Zandvoort aan Zee. For commuters who don't want to travel via Haarlem Central Station, Spaarnwoude is the alternative.

Renting a home in Haarlem-East varies by neighborhood. The Amsterdamse Buurt and the Parkwijk have pre-war homes and higher rents. The Boerhaavewijk has sixties architecture and a lower entry price. The Slachthuisbuurt will be the area with the most new offerings in the coming years. Check which neighborhood fits your budget and when you want to move. The new construction in the Slachthuisbuurt is not yet completed. The existing stock is available now.