averageperson.euOne statistical standard, 27 countries

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the Netherlands and the European Union

The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.

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the Netherlands

the European Union

The widest gap is Disposable income per person: the Netherlands €34,466 against the European Union €22,939, 50.3% apart.

Ageall ages
Sex

One question per row

The faint tick on each bar is the EU27 figure.

Figure
the Netherlands
the European Union

People

Median age2.3 years
42.6 years
44.9 years
Life expectancy at birth0.4 years
81.9 years
81.5 years
People24.97×
18m
450.6m
People per square kilometre4.83×
531 per km²
110 per km²
Women in the population0.8 points
50.2%
51.0%
Born abroad2.4 points
16.8%
14.4%
Born outside the EU2.0 points
12.4%
10.4%

Money and work

Disposable income per person50.3%
€34,466
€22,939
Average net income46.4%
€37,983
€25,952
Take-home pay, average-wage worker36.2%
€40,793
€29,954
Gross pay, average-wage worker38.9%
€60,636
€43,658
In work, age 20 to 647.3 points
83.4%
76.1%
Out of work2.1 points
3.9%
6.0%
Hours worked a week4.3 hours
33.0 hours
37.3 hours
At risk of poverty2.9 points
13.4%
16.3%
Housing costs over 40% of income1.2 points
6.5%
7.7%
GDP per person55.2%
€64,710
€41,700

Family and home

People at home9.5%
2.1
2.3
Households with children2.8 points
25.9%
28.7%
Children per woman6.7%
1.43
1.34
Own their home0.3 points
68.8%
68.5%

Health and daily life

Hospital beds2.29×
221 per 100,000 people
507 per 100,000 people
Doctors6.2%
397 per 100,000 people
374 per 100,000 people

Education

With a degree9.2 points
46.1%
36.9%
Students per 1,000 people27.4%
54.0 per 1,000 people
42.4 per 1,000 people

Public spending

Public spending on them41.0%
€27,783
€19,707
Tax raised per person52.1%
€24,633
€16,198
Government debt37.3 points
44.4%
81.7%

Country and infrastructure

Land area113×
37,391 km²
4,225,104 km²
Railway density82.4%
89.5 per 1,000 km²
49.1 per 1,000 km²
Motorway density4.43×
82.6 per 1,000 km²
18.6 per 1,000 km²
Cars per 1,000 people12.5%
519 per 1,000 people
584 per 1,000 people
Households with internet4.5 points
99.3%
94.8%
Tourist nights per resident20.4%
8.1
6.73

Environment

Renewable energy3.5 points
22.7%
26.2%

Where €100 of public spending goes

Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.

the Netherlands

the European Union

Function
the Netherlands
the European Union
9.3%
12.4%
3.7%
3.0%
4.3%
3.5%
9.9%
10.8%
3.6%
1.7%
1.4%
1.5%
16.4%
15.0%
2.7%
2.4%
11.5%
9.7%
37.3%
40.0%

Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.

Frequently asked: the Netherlands and the European Union

  1. Which covers more ground: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 113×: the European Union 4,225,104, the Netherlands 37,391. Total area of the country, inland water included. reg_area3 · 2026. See the figure

  2. Where do more people live: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 24.97×: the European Union 450.6m, the Netherlands 18m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. demo_pjan · 2025. See the figure

  3. Which is more crowded: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 4.83×: the Netherlands 531, the European Union 110. People per square kilometre of that total area. reg_area3 · 2026. See the figure

  4. Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 2.29×: the European Union 507, the Netherlands 221. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. hlth_rs_bds1 · 2024. See the figure

  5. Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 1.9 points: the Netherlands 3.6%, the European Union 1.7%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. gov_10a_exp · 2024. See the figure

  6. Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 82.4%: the Netherlands 89.5, the European Union 49.1. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. rail_if_line_tr · 2024. See the figure

  7. Where is unemployment higher: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 2.1 points: the European Union 6.0%, the Netherlands 3.9%. Share of 15 to 74 year olds in the labour force who are without work and looking for it. une_rt_a · 2025. See the figure

  8. Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 27.4%: the Netherlands 54.0, the European Union 42.4. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. educ_uoe_enrt01 · 2024. See the figure

  9. Where does more energy come from renewables: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 3.5 points: the European Union 26.2%, the Netherlands 22.7%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. nrg_ind_ren · 2025. See the figure

  10. Where do more people share a home: the Netherlands or the European Union?

    The gap is 9.5%: the European Union 2.3, the Netherlands 2.1. Average number of people living in a private household. ilc_lvph01 · 2025. See the figure

Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.