The safest neighbourhoods in Westerkwartier
The safest neighbourhood in Westerkwartier is Buitengebied ten zuiden van Leek (9.9), with 10 recorded crimes per 1,000 people present. They are spread across Westerkwartier: 11 in the north, 5 in the south and 4 in the centre. These are mostly small areas: 14 of the 25 have fewer than 1,000 residents. The top of this list is the neighbourhoods with the fewest crimes recorded per 1,000 people present. The national median for recorded crimes is 2.3 times as high. Of the 71 neighbourhoods in Westerkwartier with a safety grade, 47 reach a 7.0 or higher.
- 19.9
Buitengebied ten zuiden van Leek
10 crimes per 1,000 people present
2,620 residents
- 29.9
Verspreide huizen ten zuiden van Opende
14 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,065 residents
- 39.8
Ezinge
13 crimes per 1,000 people present
650 residents
- 49.8
Grijpskerk
14 crimes per 1,000 people present
2,460 residents
- 59.7
Oldehove
14 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,275 residents
- 69.7
Noordhorn
14 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,350 residents
- 79.7
Verspreide huizen Zuidhorn
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,150 residents
- 89.7
Verspreide huizen Oldekerk
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
635 residents
- 99.5
Diepswal
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
685 residents
- 109.5
Niekerk
13 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,360 residents
- 119.3
Opende-West
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,115 residents
- 129.2
Rodenburg en omgeving
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
4,140 residents
- 139.2
Niezijl
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
430 residents
- 149.1
Briltil
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
460 residents
- 159.0
Zuidhorn
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
7,355 residents
- 169.0
Overige verspreide huizen
19 crimes per 1,000 people present
350 residents
- 179.0
Verspreide huizen Ezinge
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
340 residents
- 188.9
Verspreide huizen Grijpskerk
19 crimes per 1,000 people present
435 residents
- 198.9
Marum
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
5,500 residents
- 208.9
Oldekerk
13 crimes per 1,000 people present
970 residents
- 218.8
Doezum
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
735 residents
- 228.7
Buitengebied ten westen van Zevenhuizen
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
690 residents
- 238.4
Verspreide huizen ten zuiden van Grootegast
21 crimes per 1,000 people present
310 residents
- 248.4
Bebouwde kom Oostwold
17 crimes per 1,000 people present
595 residents
- 258.3
Verspreide huizen ten noorden van Jonkersvaart
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
240 residents
- 268.2
Opende-Oost
20 crimes per 1,000 people present
270 residents
- 278.2
Visvliet
19 crimes per 1,000 people present
285 residents
- 288.2
Overige verspreide huizen
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
220 residents
- 298.1
Lutjegast
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
720 residents
- 308.1
Grootegast
14 crimes per 1,000 people present
3,355 residents
- 318.0
Jonkersvaart
19 crimes per 1,000 people present
240 residents
- 327.9
Kommerzijl
17 crimes per 1,000 people present
510 residents
- 337.9
Verspreide huizen Aduard
20 crimes per 1,000 people present
515 residents
- 347.8
Buitengebied ten noorden van Zevenhuizen
22 crimes per 1,000 people present
280 residents
- 357.7
Sebaldeburen
17 crimes per 1,000 people present
360 residents
- 367.7
Verspreide huizen ten zuiden van Sebaldeburen
20 crimes per 1,000 people present
240 residents
- 377.7
De Wilp (gedeeltelijk)
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,310 residents
- 387.6
Kornhorn
18 crimes per 1,000 people present
485 residents
- 397.5
Sint Maheerdt
15 crimes per 1,000 people present
2,345 residents
- 407.4
Buitengebied Midwolde
36 crimes per 1,000 people present
260 residents
high footfall - 417.4
Aduard
16 crimes per 1,000 people present
2,075 residents
- 427.4
Boerakker
21 crimes per 1,000 people present
375 residents
- 437.4
Bebouwde kom Tolbert
19 crimes per 1,000 people present
1,610 residents
- 447.4
Noordwijk
20 crimes per 1,000 people present
220 residents
- 457.3
Niebert
56 crimes per 1,000 people present
500 residents
- 467.3
Buitengebied Tolbert
31 crimes per 1,000 people present
490 residents
- 477.2
Den Horn
21 crimes per 1,000 people present
195 residents
- 486.8
Feerwerd
21 crimes per 1,000 people present
155 residents
- 496.8
Lucaswolde
22 crimes per 1,000 people present
190 residents
- 506.7
Bebouwde kom Enumatil
26 crimes per 1,000 people present
250 residents
Flagged neighbourhoods have far more businesses than residents: shopping streets, nightlife districts and station areas. Crimes are recorded where they happen, so what happens to visitors counts there too. The grade corrects for that footfall, but stays harder to compare with a residential area.
Frequently asked questions
How is this list ranked?
On the safety grade, which comes from crimes recorded by the police in 2025: violence, burglary, total crime, property crime and vandalism. Each figure is set against the number of people present — residents plus three times the number of business premises.
Why is Buitengebied ten zuiden van Leek at the top?
Buitengebied ten zuiden van Leek scores a 9.9 on this list, with 10 recorded crimes per 1,000 people present. That is the highest of every neighbourhood in Westerkwartier that has a grade for this measure.
How often are these figures updated?
The crime figures are from the police for 2025; population, boundaries and the other characteristics 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.