Assen Population 2026

Assen has a population of 68,836, making it the #46 biggest city in 🇳🇱 Netherlands, located in Drenthe. Roughly 0.4% of Netherlands's population lives here. It is about 13× smaller than Rotterdam, the country's biggest city.

Location of Assen (capital Amsterdam shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

68,836

Rank in Netherlands

#46

Coordinates

53.00°N, 6.56°E

~12 m elevation · Europe/Amsterdam

Distance to capital (Amsterdam)

132 km

82 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Drenthe

City	Population	Rank in Netherlands
Emmen	57,010	#56
Hoogeveen	38,754	#83
Meppel	30,697	#108

Cities near Assen

Leek19,651 people · ~22 km away
Hoogezand21,480 people · ~23 km away
Veendam28,155 people · ~24 km away
Groningen244,807 people · ~25 km away
Stadskanaal20,000 people · ~26 km away
Hoogeveen38,754 people · ~31 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Assen?

Assen has a population of 68,836 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #46 biggest city in Netherlands.

What region is Assen in?

Assen is located in Drenthe, Netherlands.

Is Assen the capital of Netherlands?

No, the capital of Netherlands is Amsterdam, about 132 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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