Rent a Home in Haarlem-Zuid and Zuidwest

Haarlem-Zuidwest is the quietest district in the city. Two-thirds of the homes date from before the Second World War. 60% are single-family homes. Incomes are 20% above the Haarlem average. Three neighborhoods are in the city's top three for property value. It's not a neighborhood where you'll quickly find a rental home. It's a neighborhood where you search for a long time and end up in a good place.

The difference with Haarlem-Zuid is stark. The Europawijk, formally part of Schalkwijk-Noord, has flats from the 1960s and a completely different character. This page focuses on the pre-war Zuidwest: the Koninginnebuurt, Dietsveld, the Vogelbuurt, and the Rivierenbuurt.

Koninginnebuurt: The Most Expensive Neighborhood

The Koninginnebuurt has 2,910 residents (2025) in 1,399 homes. 68% were built before 1945, with the largest block dating from 1900-1925. These are stately properties: high ceilings, deep rooms, front gardens with tiled paths. The neighborhood directly borders the Haarlemmerhout.

72% are owner-occupied homes, 28% are rentals. 49% are apartments, but these are not standard flats. They are upper floors and split villas where the original layout is still palpable. The average WOZ value is the second highest in all of Haarlem. 65% of residents are HBO or university educated. The average income per resident is 54,900 euros (2024).

Rentig a home in Haarlem-Zuidwest in the Koninginnebuurt requires patience and budget. The supply is small, and rental prices are high. Those who find an apartment here live a five-minute bike ride from the Grote Markt, with the oldest city park in the Netherlands as their backyard.

Dietsveld: Thirties Symmetry

Dietsveld was built in the 1930s and 1950s. The urban development stands out: a symmetrical street plan with closed building blocks around circular squares. It's the kind of neighborhood where an architect was at work, not just a contractor. 75% are owner-occupied homes. The atmosphere is quiet, and the architecture is coherent.

The homes are predominantly single-family houses. Front gardens, back gardens, streets wide enough to park on both sides. For renters looking for a family home in Haarlem, Dietsveld is one of the few neighborhoods where that's possible. The rental share is small, but the available homes are larger than what the city center offers.

Vogelbuurt and Rivierenbuurt

The Vogelbuurt was built in the 1920s and 1930s. The streets bear bird names: Meerkoetstraat (Coot Street), Fazantenstraat (Pheasant Street), Reigerlaan (Heron Lane). Approximately 5,000 residents in the broader Vogelenwijk (2025). Compact pre-war buildings, narrower streets than in Dietsveld, built closer together.

The Rivierenbuurt borders the Vogelbuurt. Street names after rivers: Rijnstraat (Rhine Street), Maasstraat (Meuse Street). The same construction period, the same pre-war brick facades. Both neighborhoods together form the heart of Zuidwest: more modest than the Koninginnebuurt, more affordable, but with the same pre-war character.

The Haarlemmerhout as a Connecting Element

The Haarlemmerhout runs as a green strip along the northeast side of Zuidwest. The Koninginnebuurt borders it directly. Dietsveld and the Vogelbuurt are within walking distance. The forest is the reason this part of Haarlem feels like you're living outside the city while being right in it.

The Leidsevaart runs through the south of the district towards Leiden. Along the canal are daily amenities: supermarkets, shops, an axis of services that serves the district. The distance to the center is one and a half to two kilometers. By bike, five to ten minutes. On foot, about fifteen minutes through the Haarlemmerhout.

Rental homes in Haarlem-Zuidwest are scarce. The district is predominantly owner-occupied (72% in the Koninginnebuurt, 75% in Dietsveld). The free-sector rental supply consists of split villas and upper floors. The Vogelbuurt and Rivierenbuurt offer slightly more opportunities than the Koninginnebuurt. Renting a home in Haarlem-Zuid requires the same approach as anywhere else in the city: have documents ready, respond quickly, and be prepared to search for a long time.