Diversity: The key to enjoying expat life in Haarlem

Living in a diverse society improves people’s quality of life, according to research. One of the most diverse cities in the Netherlands is Haarlem as almost 20% of the population originate from outside the Netherlands. Most of these individuals are expats that have moved to Haarlem to make the most of its amenities and its close proximity to Amsterdam. So, let’s find out how diversity makes Haarlem a bigger and better city to live in.

Varying ages

One of the first things you’ll notice when you move to Haarlem is how diverse the age of the local population is. More than 35,000 of the population are aged 19 and under while more than 37,000 people are aged 60 and above. There’s a good split of people aged between these demographics, too. For example, there are 25,102 people aged between 30 and 39 years of age and 22,717 people that are between 40 and 49 years old. Diverse age groups are crucial for Haarlem’s society as it supports economic growth and social cohesion. Having various age groups living in Haarlem also helps to preserve local culture as older individuals pass on their knowledge and wisdom to younger residents.

Different cultures

As of 2022, 132,999 people living in the Netherlands were born there. 8,162 were born in the EU 28 (excluding the Netherlands), and almost 22,000 Haarlem residents originate from elsewhere in the world. There are so many advantages to having different ethnic groups living together in Haarlem, including broader social networks, greater creativity, and more tolerance. However, you shouldn’t assume someone living in Haarlem is from a specific culture just because of their hair or eye color. Traditionally, people with red hair come from Scotland, but 2% of the global population also have a gene mutation that causes red hair. Hair coloring and colored contacts are also frequently used by individuals looking to change their appearance. With this in mind, you should always start a conversation with the locals about their origins rather than guess them.

Gender equality

A recent US News report placed the Netherlands at number 1 for gender equality across the world. Some of the main reasons why gender equality is so good in Haarlem and the rest of the Netherlands is that it has powerful laws in place to protect against women. The government strongly promotes gender equality and this has gained a lot of support among locals. Finally, the workforce is gender-balanced and the likes of affordable childcare and flexible working arrangements help to make working life for women easier. But, it’s important to note that a gender pay gap of 14.2% still exists in the country.
Haarlem is a diverse place to live, thanks to the number of expats who have decided to make the city their home.

Diversity is the key to a long and healthy life, so here’s hoping that more expats will choose to move to Haarlem in the future.