Life in Netherlands: Every Number That Shapes It (1800–2100)
Updated July 2026 · methodology
A child born in Netherlands in the 2020s can expect to live 81.5 years on an average income of 57,500 international dollars. (UN WPP / World Bank, compiled by MYRIAD)
The statistics of a human life in the Netherlands are a study in transformation. Where once the daily reality was defined by 2,070 annual working hours and 65.26 child mortality per 1,000 births, today's landscape is markedly different. Prosperity has surged alongside security, moving from 9,191 income per person to 57,500 international dollars. With electricity at home reaching 100 %, the Dutch experience has evolved into one of the most stable environments in history. Every shift in these figures represents a fundamental alteration in how a life is lived, measured, and sustained.
The historical arc from the 1950s to the 2020s reveals a society redefining its priorities. Education has doubled from 6.15 to 12.5 years of schooling, while fertility rates have declined from 2.65 to 1.55 births per woman. Urbanization has climbed to 92.5 %, accompanied by a near-total digital integration with 96 % internet access. Even biological markers have changed; the average male height has increased from 177 to 183 cm. Extreme poverty has effectively vanished, dropping from 6.14 % to 0.1 %, as the homicide rate fell from 1.04 to 0.6 per 100,000.
If you are born in the Netherlands in the 2020s, the statistical landscape offers you a life expectancy of 81.5 years. This longevity is supported by a robust social infrastructure that would have been unrecognizable three generations ago. The convergence of these variables—ranging from personal income to public safety—creates a unique baseline for the modern citizen. You can explore how these systemic trends diverge from other global experiences by using our interactive tools to compute your own parallel lives.
🇳🇱 Every dimension below links to the full three-century series for Netherlands — and to the same series for every other country, so you can see exactly where the birth lottery placed its people.
The numbers today vs 1950
| Dimension | 1950s | 2020s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 65.24 | 81.5 years | history → |
| Income per Person (GDP per capita, PPP) | 9,191 | 57,500 intl-$ | history → |
| Child Mortality (under 5) | 65.26 | 4 per 1,000 births | history → |
| Years of Schooling | 6.15 | 12.5 years | history → |
| Children per Woman | 2.65 | 1.55 births | history → |
| Living in Cities | 59.4 | 92.5 % | history → |
| Internet Access | 0 | 96 % | history → |
| Electricity at Home | 85 | 100 % | history → |
| Homicide Rate | 1.04 | 0.6 per 100,000 | history → |
| Annual Working Hours | 2,070 | 1,400 hours/year | history → |
| Average Male Height | 177 | 183 cm | history → |
| Extreme Poverty | 6.14 | 0.1 % | history → |
See your parallel life in Netherlands →
Questions people ask
What is life expectancy in Netherlands?
81.5 years in the 2020s (UN WPP / World Bank data compiled by MYRIAD).
Is Netherlands a good place to be born, statistically?
MYRIAD ranks every country by a composite of longevity, income, child survival, education and safety for each birth decade — enter your details on the homepage to see where Netherlands lands for your cohort.