THE HAGUE · New official figures show a further increase in millionaire households and show strong regional differences and a changing structure of wealth. At the beginning of 2024, significantly more households in the Netherlands had at least one million euros in net assets. What is particularly striking is the concentration in traditional affluent communities and the growing share of wealth that comes from corporate investments. At the same time, the classification remains clear. The value of the property you use and a possible mortgage are included in the calculation. The data shows a broad base with assets between one and two million euros and only a small proportion with significantly higher values. The aging of society is reflected in sources of income. In addition to gainful employment and self-employment, pensions play a major role. The development continues a long-standing trend and highlights regional differences.
The current inventory data for the deadline of January 1, 2024 shows 452,000 millionaire households. This corresponds to 5.5 percent of all households and an increase of 17,000 within one year, which confirms the long-term upward trend, as CBS reports. The distribution of assets remains clear. Two thirds of millionaire households are between one and two million euros. A quarter between two and five million euros. Only three percent reach more than ten million euros. The median wealth of millionaire households is 1.6 million euros. Non-millionaire households have a median income of 110,000 euros. The calculation includes the property value and the mortgage. This explains why price movements in the housing market influence the number of millionaire households, as De Telegraaf summarizes. Regionally, the provinces of Noord Holland and Utrecht stand out. Around seven percent of households there are worth millions. The top municipalities are Bloemendaal and Laren, where around one in three households is considered a millionaire. Other high proportions can be found in Blaricum, Heemstede and Wassenaar. At the lower end are the provinces of Groningen, Flevoland and Limburg. Brunssum, Heerlen and Kerkrade have particularly low proportions. Nissewaard and Den Helder are also among the municipalities with lower rates, as RTL Nieuws and NU.nl report. Millionaires’ wealth is dominated by company assets, including significant holdings. The share of home ownership is significantly lower compared to non-millionaire households. The demographic effect is evident in the source of income. Around 40 percent of millionaire households receive their main income from a pension. Self-employment is more widespread among employed people than among non-millionaires, but is declining in the long term.
Definition and trend at a glance
Table of Contents
The official definition refers to the net assets of a household. Financial resources, securities, company assets, real estate and investments as well as liabilities are included. What matters is the balance of assets and liabilities. The deadline of January 1, 2024 shows a further expansion of the millionaire quota. The increase of 17,000 households confirms the series of rising values for several years. The 5.5 percent ratio means that about one in eighteen households falls into the category, CBS notes. The median of 1.6 million euros describes the middle of the distribution within the millionaire group. The range beyond this remains narrow. The majority are up to five million euros. Only a very small proportion exceed the ten million euro mark. The focus of the observed development is therefore on the breadth of the upper wealth, not on an extreme concentration at the top, as the reports from RTL Nieuws and NU.nl illustrate the range. What remains important for the classification is that taking into account the property used by oneself influences the number of millionaire households. Rising real estate prices increase the net asset position while debt levels remain unchanged. Conversely, falling prices have a dampening effect. This explains why regional real estate markets are visible in the figures. The fixed database enables an objective assessment without additional assumptions. The development continues a trend that began years ago.
Regional focal points and communities with maximum values
The spatial distribution shows clear clusters. In Noord Holland and Utrecht, the proportion of millionaire households is around seven percent. This is above the national average and is particularly concentrated in communities with traditionally high property values and a strong business environment. Bloemendaal and Laren top the list. About a third of the households there are worth millions, as CBS reports. Above-average proportions can also be found in Blaricum, Heemstede and Wassenaar. These focal points reflect the long-term structure of the financial situation in wealthy places of residence. On the other hand, the provinces of Groningen, Flevoland and Limburg have lower rates. Among the municipalities, Brunssum, Heerlen and Kerkrade are expressly mentioned as places with particularly low proportions. Nissewaard in Zuid Holland and Den Helder in North Holland also belong to this category. The regional distribution underlines that wealth creation is not homogeneous but is shaped by local conditions. These include settlement structure, income levels and the presence of entrepreneurship. The official map and the municipal values in the CBS data set illustrate the range between high double-digit municipal values and low single-digit shares. The classification of the media serves to provide orientation about the spatial patterns. Further evaluation is left to the figures.
Structure of assets and role of investments
The composition of assets clearly distinguishes millionaire households from non-millionaire households. For millionaires, company assets and significant holdings make up a large proportion. The home share is around a quarter of the total assets. For non-millionaires, however, self-used property clearly dominates. This comparison comes directly from the CBS analysis. It shows that larger assets are more dependent on equity ownership. As the level of wealth increases, the proportion of companies and significant shareholdings continues to rise, while the proportion of home ownership decreases in relative terms. Securities and other asset items complete the picture. This structure explains why fluctuations in corporate and capital markets as well as changes in the value of investments have a greater impact on millionaires’ assets than pure real estate movements. The median of 1.6 million euros also remains relevant for the overview. It illustrates that the majority within the group is close to this value. The official statistics not only provide inventory, but also structural information that shows the differences between asset classes. The sheer number of millionaires only partially explains the distribution of wealth. Only the composition makes it clear from which sources the assets come and how they change with the amount.
Sources of income and demographics
The income side of millionaire households shows a striking three-part division. A large proportion derive their main income from pensions. That’s around 40 percent. Of the remaining employed households, self-employment is the largest group. However, their share has been declining since 2014, as CBS notes. At that time it was significantly higher. Today, a good half of employed millionaires still work for themselves. RTL Nieuws and NU.nl put this decline in perspective and point to the changing role of employment in dependent work. The demographic component explains part of the structure. As you get older, the likelihood that your pension will be your main income increases. For non-millionaire households, the weighting of income sources is different. Employment as an employee dominates here. The statistical comparison makes it clear that the amount of wealth and source of income correspond to one another. When interpreting the numbers, it is important that the type of income does not determine the amount of wealth, but rather the composition of the wealth provides information about the path to wealth creation. Shareholdings and company values are central to higher assets. The income side is only partially linked to this.
