Rent a Home in Zoetermeer

In 1962, Zoetermeer was a village of six thousand inhabitants clustered around a village street. Ten years later, it was designated as a growth center for The Hague, one of twenty municipalities tasked with addressing the housing shortage. What followed is a city that can be read as a timeline of Dutch residential construction. Each neighborhood represents a decade: Palenstein the sixties, Meerzicht the seventies, Seghwaert the eighties, Rokkeveen the nineties, Oosterheem the thousands. You can cycle from one building period to another and see how the Netherlands thought about living, from communal entrance flats to residential courtyards to suburban semi-detached houses.

Zoetermeer now has approximately 128,000 inhabitants (2026) spread over 37 square kilometers. Those considering renting a home in Zoetermeer choose a city entirely designed around accessibility. The RandstadRail connects every neighborhood to The Hague Central in 25 to 30 minutes, with stops in almost every district. Zoetermeer-Lansingerland station offers train connections to Gouda and The Hague. The A12 runs alongside the city. Rotterdam is half an hour away by car. It is a city that exists because housing was needed, and it still functions as a residential city for the Hague region.

The Dorpsstraat: The Village That Existed Before the City

The old Zoetermeer still exists. The Dorpsstraat (Village Street) runs like a ribbon through what was once the entire village: a church, a few historic buildings, small shops, and outdoor cafes. It is the only part of Zoetermeer that dates from before the growth center period. The scale is village-like, the atmosphere different from the rest of the city.

The housing supply around Dorpsstraat is limited. There are older homes, partly monumental, partly adapted over the years. It is the only part of Zoetermeer where you will find pre-war buildings. For renters seeking character in a predominantly post-war city, Dorpsstraat is the only address. Turnover is low and supply is small, but the location is special: the authentic heart of a city otherwise completely designed.

Modern townhouse with A+++ energy label

€2,995 / month

Mozartrode, Zoetermeer

4

150 m²

Immediately

Townhouse

Palenstein: The First Neighborhood, Now Transformed

Palenstein is where it all began. In 1966, the first pile was driven into the ground, and within a few years, a complete neighborhood stood: high-rise flats, gallery apartments, the typical 1960s architecture seen in every growth center. For decades, Palenstein was the neighborhood that gave Zoetermeer its reputation: gray, monotonous, socially vulnerable.

That image is no longer accurate. Palenstein has undergone extensive restructuring. Old flats have been demolished and replaced by sustainable new builds. The neighborhood now has a mix of low and high-rise buildings, more greenery, and a more varied housing supply. For renters, the transformed Palenstein is interesting: newer homes at lower rents than in Rokkeveen or Oosterheem, with a RandstadRail stop in the neighborhood. It is a neighborhood that has been given a second chance and now functions differently than fifteen years ago.

Meerzicht, Buytenwegh, and Seghwaert: The Seventies and Eighties

The three neighborhoods that followed Palenstein together form the largest residential area of Zoetermeer. Meerzicht (1969-1974) is typically seventies: communal entrance flats, terraced houses, wide green areas. Buytenwegh-De Leyens (seventies and eighties) consists of two parts with very different characters, separated by the Binnenpark. Seghwaert (from 1975) introduced drive-in homes and residential courtyards.

These are the neighborhoods where the bulk of the housing supply is located. Single-family homes with gardens, three-room apartments in communal entrance flats, corner houses, drive-ins. The architecture is sober, the layout spacious, the greenery mature. Each neighborhood has its own shopping center, and most have a RandstadRail stop. For families looking for a single-family home with a garden, within cycling distance of amenities and with light rail to The Hague, these neighborhoods are the most obvious choice. The supply is larger, and rents are lower than in the newer neighborhoods.

Noordhove: The Exception Without a Stop

Between Seghwaert and the Zoetermeerse Plas lies Noordhove, built in the eighties and nineties. The neighborhood is more spacious than its neighbors, with more single-family homes and less stacked construction. Greenery is abundant, streets are wide, and the atmosphere is suburban.

Noordhove has a peculiarity: it is the only large neighborhood in Zoetermeer without its own RandstadRail stop. Both light rail branches run south of it. This makes the neighborhood less attractive for commuters who take the tram to The Hague daily, but it also keeps rents slightly lower. Those who have a car or are willing to cycle to a nearby stop will find spacious family homes in a green environment in Noordhove, with the Zoetermeerse Plas as their backyard.

Rokkeveen and Oosterheem: The Newest Neighborhoods

Rokkeveen (from 1987) and Oosterheem (from 2001) are Zoetermeer's newest large neighborhoods. Rokkeveen has a suburban character: spacious plots, semi-detached houses, and villa-like sections. Oosterheem is the youngest neighborhood, built in the Binnenwegsche Polder, with modern architecture and a mix of owner-occupied and rental properties.

Both neighborhoods attract families looking for space. The homes are larger than in Meerzicht or Seghwaert, energy labels are better, and floor plans are more modern. The downside: rents are higher, and the neighborhoods are on the edge of the city, further from the Stadshart (city center). Oosterheem does have its own RandstadRail stop. For renters who want the newest Zoetermeer has to offer, Rokkeveen and Oosterheem are the areas to search.

A City That Works

Zoetermeer is not a city with the allure of Leiden or the history of Delft. It is a city built for living, and it does that well. The neighborhoods are spacious, greenery is everywhere, the RandstadRail takes you to The Hague, and every neighborhood has its own amenities. The rental market benefits from this setup: there is more supply than in the surrounding cities, homes are more spacious, and prices are lower than in The Hague.

Nevertheless, popular homes go fast. Set up a search alert with filters for Zoetermeer so you receive a notification for new listings. Have your documents ready: pay slips, employer's statement, copy of ID. And look beyond Rokkeveen and Oosterheem. Meerzicht, Seghwaert, and the transformed Palenstein offer single-family homes that attract less competition, while the RandstadRail stops at the same distance.