The Hague / Den Haag
The seat of the Dutch government and an international city of peace, justice and diplomacy, with a highly diverse population and strong contrasts between neighbourhoods.
How The Hague gets informed
Local Signal examines the people, institutions, channels and everyday networks through which residents learn what is happening around them. In The Hague, the research will pay particular attention to multilingual communities, neighbourhood inequality, the overlap between municipal, national and international public life, and the role of institutions that communicate to very different audiences.
Local Signal The Hague findings are scheduled for publication in November 2026.
The Hague in context
The following profile provides the demographic, institutional and economic background needed to interpret the forthcoming Local Signal findings. It is supporting context rather than MJRC’s original research output.
01Place and urban structure
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Place and urban structure
The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, although Amsterdam is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands. It is also the capital of South Holland and one of the country's four largest municipalities. The city combines a dense administrative centre with residential neighbourhoods, international districts, post-war suburbs and the coastal resort of Scheveningen. Municipal statistics are available for the city as a whole and for neighbourhoods and districts.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, Den Haag in Cijfers and official municipal pages. Verify source
02People and age
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People and age
The Hague had 569,604 residents at the start of 2026 and has continued to grow through housing development and international migration. Its average age of 39.9 is lower than in many European administrative capitals, but the number of older residents is also increasing. More than 90,000 residents were aged 65 or over in 2026. Population growth is expected to be concentrated around major development areas such as the Central Innovation District and Binckhorst.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, 2026 population overview and population forecast. Verify source
03Social composition and households
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Social composition and households
The Hague is one of the most internationally diverse municipalities in the Netherlands. Municipal neighbourhood profiles reported that 57% of residents had a migration background in 2022, using the statistical terminology then in use. The city contains large communities with roots in Europe, Türkiye, Morocco, Suriname, the Caribbean, South Asia, the Middle East and many other regions. Nearly half of households were one-person households, while housing tenure and income differ sharply between neighbourhoods.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague neighbourhood profiles and CBS-linked municipal data. Older migration terminology is retained only when describing the source dataset. Verify source
04Education and knowledge institutions
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Education and knowledge institutions
The Hague has developed into a major higher-education centre alongside its traditional governmental and diplomatic functions. The Hague University of Applied Sciences has almost 25,000 students from more than 120 countries. Leiden University's Campus The Hague hosts activity from all seven faculties, almost one quarter of Leiden University's students and more than 650 staff. Education is closely linked to the city's strengths in law, governance, security, public policy and international affairs.
Background data source: The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Leiden University. Verify source
05Economy and employment
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Economy and employment
The Hague's economy is shaped by government, international organisations, legal institutions, business services, education, security, tourism and the coastal economy. The municipality and national government are major employers, while the city's international sector supports professional services, conferences and diplomacy. Income and employment vary substantially between neighbourhoods. Housing costs and access to affordable housing are among the city's most persistent social and economic pressures.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague neighbourhood profiles, housing policy and development information. Verify source
06Government and local democracy
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Government and local democracy
The Hague has a 45-member municipal council and a mayor appointed under the Dutch local-government system. Jan van Zanen is the mayor, while the executive includes the mayor and aldermen. The March 2026 municipal election substantially changed the council: Hart voor Den Haag became the largest party with 16 seats. The city also hosts the Dutch parliament, ministries, Supreme Court and many national public institutions.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, official 2026 election results, council pages and 2026 budget. Verify source
07International institutions
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International institutions
The Hague's international role is central to its economy, identity and public life. It is home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and many other legal, diplomatic and security organisations. Embassies, consulates, international schools, NGOs and multinational employers support a large expatriate and diplomatic population. The Hague International Centre provides dedicated services to newcomers, migrants, students and diplomatic staff.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, The Hague International Centre and the relevant international institutions. Verify source
08Technology and digital public services
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Technology and digital public services
The Hague has positioned cybersecurity as an extension of its peace, justice and security identity. The city supports a network of public institutions, companies and knowledge organisations working on cyber resilience and security innovation. Residents can use MijnDenHaag to manage municipal applications, bills and personal information online. Digital access, multilingual communication and confidence using public platforms are important issues in a highly diverse city.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, MijnDenHaag, Den Haag in Cijfers and the municipal cybersecurity programme. Verify source
09Culture, coast and local identity
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Culture, coast and local identity
The Hague combines the identity of a governmental capital, international legal centre and North Sea city. Its major cultural institutions include the Mauritshuis, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, Escher in The Palace, Amare and the National Theatre. Scheveningen, the beach and the pier give the city a coastal identity that differs sharply from its administrative centre. The Binnenhof, Peace Palace and royal associations reinforce its national and international symbolic role.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague and the relevant cultural institutions. Verify source
10Sport
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Sport
ADO Den Haag is the city's principal professional football club and one of its most visible sporting institutions. The city also has strong traditions in field hockey, beach sports, sailing, athletics and community football. Scheveningen's coast supports surfing, sailing and beach events, while Zuiderpark is a major recreational and sporting area. The city's sporting identity crosses professional clubs, neighbourhood associations and coastal recreation.
Background data source: ADO Den Haag, Municipality of The Hague and local sports institutions. Verify source
11Transport and regional connections
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Transport and regional connections
The Hague is connected to the Dutch and international rail network through Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag Hollands Spoor. HTM operates a dense tram and bus network, while RandstadRail connects the city with Rotterdam and Zoetermeer. Cycling is central to daily mobility, although neighbourhoods differ in their access to public transport and safe cycling routes. The city is also closely linked to the wider Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan region.
Background data source: Municipality of The Hague, HTM, Dutch rail authorities and regional transport bodies. Verify source
Why The Hague is an important information locality
The Hague combines municipal politics, national government, diplomacy and international justice within one city. Its residents include long-established neighbourhood communities, students, civil servants, diplomats, migrant workers, refugees, international professionals and coastal populations. These groups do not necessarily use the same languages, institutions or media. Strong neighbourhood differences in income, housing and population composition make The Hague an especially valuable place to study whether local information reaches people equally.
Sources used for the background profile
How to read this profile
The figures refer to the municipality of The Hague unless otherwise indicated. Data years differ because municipal registers, neighbourhood profiles, census-linked datasets and institutional statistics are updated on different schedules.
The term “migration background” appears only where it was used in the original municipal dataset. Dutch official statistics have since moved toward classifications based on country of birth and parents’ country of birth. The category should not be interpreted as ethnicity.
Local Signal The Hague findings are scheduled for publication in November 2026.
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