Just under half of Dutch experience nuisance from loitering youths, survey shows

A new report by Statistics Netherlands reveals that 46 percent of people aged 15 and older experienced social nuisance in their neighborhood. The data is based on the country’s biennial Safety Monitor and shows a steady increase in local disturbances compared to 42 percent recorded in 2021.

Loitering youths were specifically mentioned by Statistics Netherlands as the most frequently cited source of neighborhood disruption. 26 percent of respondents stated they were explicitly troubled by groups of young people hanging around their area in 2025, a rise from 22 percent in 2021. Out of all those surveyed, 7 percent consider the problem a serious or severe nuisance, up from 6 percent in 2021.

A Statistics Netherlands spokesperson clarified that because the data relies on a survey, the definition of loitering is subjective. It heavily reflects a feeling, meaning different respondents interpret the presence and behavior of local youth groups in different ways.

Noisy neighbors and domestic disputes came second regarding nuisance, with 20 percent citing them as a source of nuisance. A total of seven percent said street harassment was an issue, with public intoxication, drug use, and drug dealing also mentioned.

The data shows a notable discrepancy depending on where people live. In very strongly urbanized municipalities, 11 percent of residents report experiencing severe nuisance from loitering youth.

While in non-urbanized municipalities, that number drops significantly, making residents of urban cities nearly four times more likely to suffer severe disruptions from local groups.