Renting a Home in Veenendaal

Veenendaal owes its name to what it once was: a settlement where peat was excavated starting in 1430. The Bisschop Davidsgrift, a canal from the late fifteenth century, transported the peat to the cities. When the peat ran out, textile factories emerged. When these disappeared, commuters arrived. Today, Veenendaal is a city of almost 71,000 inhabitants (2026) known for something other than peat or textiles: in 1997, it was declared Europe's greenest city, and in 2004, the greenest city in the Netherlands.

These titles are no coincidence. Veenendaal is located in the Gelderse Vallei, the low-lying land between the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Veluwe. The forests of the Heuvelrug begin on the west side of the city, while the Veluwe is a fifteen-minute bike ride away via Ede. Those considering renting a home in Veenendaal also get an intercity station with direct trains to Utrecht and Arnhem (both 25 minutes), the A12 on their doorstep, and a shopping center that attracts buyers from across the region. It's a city without a historical inner core but with the kind of practical qualities you benefit from daily.

Dragonder: The New Development That Became Its Own Village

Dragonder-Oost is the district that has most transformed Veenendaal over the past fifteen years. Built on former industrial land, with homes in all price ranges: terraced houses, semi-detached homes, corner houses, and apartments. The district has its own shopping center with an Albert Heijn and a Lidl, multiple primary schools, and playgrounds not found in older neighborhoods.

The streetscape is modern and spacious. The plots are larger than in the center, the streets wider, the gardens deeper. Dragonder was built for families, and it shows: children playing in the streets, cargo bikes in front of houses, a community garden around the corner. Construction is still ongoing, which means the rental market here offers more selection than in established neighborhoods. Those looking for a new-build home with all the trimmings will find it here first.

Veenendaal-Oost: Three New Neighborhoods in the Making

To the east of the city, a complete expansion district is emerging in three parts: Buurtstede, Veenderij, and Groenpoort. Together, these will account for hundreds of homes, with Groenpoort alone delivering approximately 970. It is the largest new construction operation in Veenendaal's history and it is structurally changing the city. In addition to owner-occupied homes, rental properties in the free sector are being built.

The district is designed to be sustainable: gas-free, with heat pumps and solar panels. Petenbos, the adjacent neighborhood that has existed since 1974, recently received the same treatment for new construction projects. For renters, this means lower energy costs in homes that meet the latest insulation requirements. Veenendaal-Oost is still under development, meaning amenities like shops and schools will grow with the neighborhood. Those who don't mind this and prefer new construction will find the largest selection here.

The Center: Regional Shopping Hub

Veenendaal has no canals, no city walls, no medieval churches. The city truly grew only in the twentieth century, and the center reflects that: modern, functional, built around shopping. Veenendaal promotes itself as a "Shopping City" and attracts buyers from the entire Gelderse Vallei and the villages on the Heuvelrug. The shopping area is remarkably large for a city of this size.

Rental homes in the center are predominantly apartments. Above shops, in newer complexes, sometimes in redeveloped buildings. The supply of single-family homes here is small. The advantage of living in the center: everything within walking distance, two train stations within cycling distance, the market around the corner. It's the place for those who prioritize amenities over space.

French Lane and Stationswijk: The Oldest Layers of the City

French Lane, locally known as Het Franse Gat, is one of Veenendaal's older neighborhoods. The name recalls the French Huguenots who settled here in the seventeenth century, bringing the textile industry with them. The architecture is a mix of pre-war and post-war homes, smaller and more compact than in the new development areas, but with more character.

The Stationswijk, around Veenendaal Centrum station, has a similar profile. These are the neighborhoods where Veenendaal feels most like a village with history, not a new-build city. Rental prices are lower than in Dragonder or Veenendaal-Oost, and the homes are more modest. But the location is central, the station within walking distance, and the atmosphere is established.

West and South: The Neighborhoods That Form the Bulk of the City

The majority of Veenendaal consists of residential areas built in the second half of the twentieth century. West and South are the collective names. The homes are single-family houses from the sixties, seventies, and eighties: terraced houses with front and back gardens, semi-detached houses on wider avenues, and an occasional gallery flat. These are not neighborhoods that appear in architecture magazines, but they are functional.

Greenery is everywhere. Veenendaal deliberately created this: wide green strips, small parks between blocks of houses, bike paths through green areas. The forests of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug begin on the west side of the city. From the western neighborhoods, you can cycle into the forest in ten minutes. For families looking for an affordable single-family home with nature on their doorstep, West and South are the most obvious choices.