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CBS

Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek — the source behind most Dutch statistics you'll read

Part of: Dutch Economy

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Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) is Statistics Netherlands — the independent government agency that measures everything: prices, wages, population, housing, life expectancy, crime, migration.

When Dutch news says "according to figures," it usually means CBS. When politicians argue about inflation, housing costs, or immigration numbers, CBS data is the referee.

Why it matters

CBS numbers carry real policy weight:

  • AOW retirement age: Legally linked to CBS life expectancy projections, reviewed each December. When CBS says people are living longer, the pension age rises automatically.
  • Inflation: CBS publishes the CPI monthly. The 4% inflation figure for 2024 (compared to 2023) came from CBS. Wage negotiations, benefits indexation, and mortgage calculations all reference it.
  • NATO (NAVO) spending: The 5% of GDP defence target in the defence debate is measured against CBS GDP figures.

What CBS is not

CBS does not make policy. It measures. Politicians can dispute what the numbers mean, but they can't dispute the numbers themselves without looking foolish. This independence is deliberately protected.

Where to find it

cbs.nl publishes in Dutch and English. The dashboard and StatLine database are genuinely useful for anyone trying to understand Dutch society with actual data.

These guides are written to help you understand the Netherlands — not to replace professional advice. We do our best to be accurate but we make mistakes and information goes out of date. For anything that affects your legal status, taxes, finances, or health, verify with an official source or a qualified advisor.

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