Include existing information carefully
Planning to remove a load-bearing wall, alter a roof or extend a house in Groningen? Alongside building drawings, collect available inspection reports, damage reports and any strengthening records. Discuss which documents are relevant to the commission and which additional assessment is needed. A general soil map does not determine the safety of an individual building. The local profiles help you organise your building question and select the appropriate service and preparation.
| Characteristic | Number | Reference date or period |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial population | 602,833 | 1 January 2025 |
| Municipalities | 10 | 2026 classification |
| Officially registered settlements | 199 | 1 January 2026 |
| Homes | 294,248 | 1 January 2025 |
| Newly built homes added | 2,749 | 2025 |
| All renovations | Not available in these sources | No estimate |
CBS — population (1 January 2025) · CBS — housing stock and dwelling types (2025) · CBS — officially registered settlements (1 January 2026)
Soil and ground types
Within the boundaries of Groningen, map unit Hn21 covers the largest measured area of soil polygons in this analysis: 32,628 hectares, or 14.7% of the mapped area.
Original Dutch source name:
Veldpodzolgronden; leemarm en zwak lemig fijn zand
| Map code | Dutch soil classification: first unit | Area (ha) | Share of mapped area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hn21 | Veldpodzolgronden; leemarm en zwak lemig fijn zand | 32,628 | 14.7% |
| Mn15A | Kalkrijke poldervaaggronden; lichte zavel, profielverloop 5 | 10,419 | 4.7% |
| Mn45A | Kalkrijke poldervaaggronden; zware klei, profielverloop 5 | 7,218 | 3.2% |
| Mn25A | Kalkrijke poldervaaggronden; zware zavel, profielverloop 5 | 6,874 | 3.1% |
| Mn15C | Kalkarme poldervaaggronden; lichte zavel, profielverloop 5 | 6,529 | 2.9% |
| Other units | Other mapped soil polygons | 158,724 | 71.4% |
The shares are calculated within the soil polygons on the map, not across all land or all building addresses. For compound map codes, the name of the first unit is shown. The map describes shallow soil; built-up areas are not fully mapped. It does not establish bearing capacity or determine whether piles, pad footings or strip foundations should be used.
Explore subsurface data in BROloket · How the soil map can be used · Method and sources for these area profiles
Read about foundation investigations · Pad footing, pile or strip foundation?
How much renovation takes place?
The CBS tables used here do not provide a complete local renovation count for Groningen. We therefore do not estimate this from population, new homes or a national percentage. These sources also do not establish which type of renovation is most common.