The best neighbourhoods for families in Midden-Drenthe
8.9Number 1HijkenThe best neighbourhood for families in Midden-Drenthe is Hijken (8.9), with 39% of households with children and childcare 0.4 km away. They are spread across Midden-Drenthe: 7 in the centre, 7 in the north and 5 in the south. These are mostly small areas: 20 of the 25 have fewer than 1,000 residents. Of the 41 neighbourhoods in Midden-Drenthe with a families grade, 4 reach a 7.0 or higher. Midden-Drenthe as a whole comes out at a 5.4, against a 6.2 for the middle neighbourhood in the country — one grade for a whole municipality says little about the street you live in.
In the neighbourhood where the average resident of Midden-Drenthe lives, 33% of households have children — the national median is 35%. On this page that ranges from 25% in Verspreide huizen Spier to 48% in Smilde-Noord.
Check je wijk rating from 1 to 10 · figures for 2025
The 10 best neighbourhoods for families in Midden-Drenthe
Number 1
Hijken
665 residents
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- 28.7
Wijster
770 residents
39% households with children · childcare 0.4 km
- 38.0
Nieuw-Balinge
820 residents
34% households with children · childcare 0.4 km
- 47.3
Hoogersmilde-Centrum
905 residents
33% households with children · childcare 0.4 km
- 56.5
Hooghalen
885 residents
31% households with children · childcare 0.5 km
- 66.4
Beilen
9,345 residents
31% households with children · childcare 0.7 km
- 76.2
Bovensmilde-Centrum
2,800 residents
35% households with children · childcare 0.7 km
- 86.1
Smilde-Centrum
3,710 residents
31% households with children · childcare 0.5 km
- 95.5
Hoogersmilde-Zuid
130 residents
45% households with children · childcare 1.5 km
- 105.2
Verspreide huizen Beilen
1,890 residents
46% households with children · childcare 2.3 km
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- 115.2
Smilde-Noord
290 residents
48% households with children · childcare 1.2 km
- 124.4
Lieving Makkum
210 residents
37% households with children · childcare 1.7 km
- 134.4
Hoogersmilde-Noord
380 residents
44% households with children · childcare 1.0 km
- 144.3
Smilde-Zuid
350 residents
39% households with children · childcare 1.1 km
- 154.1
Laaghalen
115 residents
34% households with children · childcare 1.6 km
- 164.0
Bovensmilde-Noord
175 residents
41% households with children · childcare 1.7 km
- 174.0
Verspreide huizen Hijken
305 residents
39% households with children · childcare 2.3 km
- 184.0
Verspreide huizen Nieuweroord
120 residents
39% households with children · childcare 2.0 km
- 193.9
Bovensmilde-Zuid
170 residents
38% households with children · childcare 1.4 km
- 203.9
Verspreide huizen Smilde
180 residents
43% households with children · childcare 2.4 km
- 213.8
Westerbork
4,510 residents
27% households with children · childcare 0.7 km
- 223.7
Mantinge
180 residents
37% households with children · childcare 1.6 km
- 233.6
Verspreide huizen Witteveen
180 residents
43% households with children · childcare 2.3 km
- 243.5
Garminge
105 residents
28% households with children · childcare 1.2 km
- 253.5
Verspreide huizen Nieuw-Balinge
120 residents
35% households with children · childcare 1.4 km
- 263.4
Spier
180 residents
44% households with children · childcare 3.5 km
- 273.2
Verspreide huizen Zwiggelte
195 residents
38% households with children · childcare 4.8 km
- 283.2
Holthe
130 residents
36% households with children · childcare 3.1 km
- 293.1
Verspreide huizen Wijster
330 residents
32% households with children · childcare 2.0 km
- 303.0
Verspreide huizen Hoogersmilde
315 residents
29% households with children · childcare 1.8 km
- 313.0
Oranje
110 residents
36% households with children · childcare 3.9 km
- 323.0
Verspreide huizen Orvelte
140 residents
36% households with children · childcare 4.0 km
- 332.9
Verspreide huizen Hooghalen
560 residents
31% households with children · childcare 2.4 km
- 342.9
Verspreide huizen Westerbork
215 residents
29% households with children · childcare 2.0 km
- 352.8
Verspreide huizen Drijber
365 residents
28% households with children · childcare 2.1 km
- 362.8
Verspreide huizen de Broekstreek
170 residents
36% households with children · childcare 3.2 km
- 372.8
Verspreide huizen Bovensmilde
210 residents
33% households with children · childcare 2.6 km
- 382.7
Witteveen
425 residents
29% households with children · childcare 1.8 km
- 392.7
Zwiggelte
270 residents
29% households with children · childcare 3.3 km
- 402.6
Verspreide huizen Spier
205 residents
25% households with children · childcare 2.9 km
- 412.6
Elp
340 residents
26% households with children · childcare 4.6 km
Frequently asked questions
How is this list ranked?
On what is around the corner for children: distance to primary school, childcare and secondary school, the share of households with children and the share of children in the area.
Why is Hijken at the top?
Hijken scores a 8.9 on this list, with 39% of households with children and childcare 0.4 km away. That is the highest of every neighbourhood in Midden-Drenthe that has a grade for this measure.
How often are these figures updated?
The figures come from the CBS neighbourhood statistics for 2025. Both are published once a year; the list is recalculated as soon as a new edition appears.