Self-employed persons; income, wealth, characteristics
| Type of self-employment | Branches (SIC2008) | Person characteristics | Sex | Periods | Self-employed, main income Self-employed income Average personal income (1 000 euro) | Self-employed, main income Self-employed income Median personal income (1 000 euro) | Self-employed, all incomes Self-employed income Average personal income (1 000 euro) | Self-employed, all incomes Self-employed income Median personal income (1 000 euro) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Total persons | Total male and female | 2023* | 54.2 | 45.0 | 52.4 | 43.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Total persons | Male | 2023* | 61.3 | 51.3 | 60.1 | 50.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Total persons | Female | 2023* | 41.5 | 29.9 | 40.7 | 31.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 75 years or older | Total male and female | 2023* | 52.5 | 37.6 | 45.5 | 35.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 75 years or older | Male | 2023* | 56.9 | 40.8 | 49.8 | 38.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 75 years or older | Female | 2023* | 41.1 | 29.7 | 34.0 | 26.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: Younger than 25 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 33.1 | 27.0 | 21.1 | 14.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: Younger than 25 years | Male | 2023* | 35.1 | 29.5 | 24.0 | 16.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: Younger than 25 years | Female | 2023* | 27.8 | 22.0 | 17.1 | 12.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 25 to 34 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 46.8 | 40.1 | 46.1 | 41.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 25 to 34 years | Male | 2023* | 51.9 | 45.9 | 51.2 | 46.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 25 to 34 years | Female | 2023* | 37.3 | 27.8 | 38.3 | 33.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 35 to 44 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 56.1 | 47.9 | 56.9 | 48.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 35 to 44 years | Male | 2023* | 62.9 | 53.6 | 64.6 | 55.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 35 to 44 years | Female | 2023* | 44.6 | 32.4 | 45.8 | 36.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 45 to 54 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 59.9 | 50.6 | 61.3 | 51.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 45 to 54 years | Male | 2023* | 68.0 | 57.3 | 70.6 | 59.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 45 to 54 years | Female | 2023* | 46.3 | 34.5 | 48.2 | 38.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 55 to 64 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 53.9 | 44.1 | 56.7 | 46.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 55 to 64 years | Male | 2023* | 62.9 | 52.3 | 66.9 | 55.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 55 to 64 years | Female | 2023* | 37.7 | 26.3 | 40.9 | 31.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 65 to 74 years | Total male and female | 2023* | 60.3 | 47.0 | 54.2 | 42.6 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 65 to 74 years | Male | 2023* | 68.8 | 54.9 | 61.7 | 49.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Age: 65 to 74 years | Female | 2023* | 41.4 | 30.2 | 38.1 | 29.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: Netherlands | Total male and female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: Netherlands | Male | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: Netherlands | Female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: western | Total male and female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: western | Male | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: western | Female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: non-western | Total male and female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: non-western | Male | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Background: non-western | Female | 2023* | . | . | . | . |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner | Total male and female | 2023* | 68.7 | 57.4 | 66.3 | 55.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner | Male | 2023* | 70.6 | 59.1 | 69.7 | 58.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner | Female | 2023* | 62.0 | 50.7 | 56.9 | 46.9 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner without partner | Total male and female | 2023* | 51.9 | 42.0 | 49.0 | 40.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner without partner | Male | 2023* | 54.4 | 44.9 | 52.5 | 43.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner without partner | Female | 2023* | 47.3 | 35.7 | 44.3 | 35.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner with partner | Total male and female | 2023* | 76.3 | 64.0 | 75.2 | 62.9 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner with partner | Male | 2023* | 76.4 | 64.1 | 76.1 | 63.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: main earner with partner | Female | 2023* | 75.6 | 63.5 | 71.4 | 59.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: partner of main earner | Total male and female | 2023* | 31.0 | 24.3 | 32.7 | 27.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: partner of main earner | Male | 2023* | 34.7 | 29.8 | 36.2 | 32.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: partner of main earner | Female | 2023* | 29.0 | 21.6 | 31.0 | 25.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child underage | Total male and female | 2023* | . | . | 6.8 | 4.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child underage | Male | 2023* | . | . | 7.6 | 5.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child underage | Female | 2023* | . | . | 5.6 | 4.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child of age | Total male and female | 2023* | 36.2 | 29.7 | 28.0 | 20.6 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child of age | Male | 2023* | 38.0 | 32.3 | 31.3 | 24.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: child of age | Female | 2023* | 29.6 | 22.3 | 21.5 | 15.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: other member | Total male and female | 2023* | 30.2 | 24.5 | 29.8 | 24.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: other member | Male | 2023* | 33.2 | 28.8 | 32.8 | 28.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Pos. in hh.: other member | Female | 2023* | 24.9 | 18.6 | 25.5 | 20.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 1st 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 10.2 | 9.9 | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 1st 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 11.0 | 10.6 | 11.3 | 10.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 1st 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 8.8 | 8.7 | 9.7 | 9.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 2nd 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 19.3 | 18.3 | 20.1 | 19.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 2nd 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 22.3 | 20.4 | 22.5 | 21.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 2nd 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 14.1 | 15.0 | 16.7 | 18.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 3rd 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 23.2 | 21.4 | 24.2 | 23.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 3rd 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 28.0 | 25.4 | 28.0 | 25.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 3rd 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 15.4 | 14.1 | 18.9 | 19.4 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 4th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 27.4 | 25.4 | 28.5 | 27.4 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 4th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 33.5 | 30.7 | 33.4 | 31.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 4th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 17.7 | 15.3 | 21.8 | 20.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 5th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 32.6 | 31.6 | 33.4 | 32.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 5th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 38.9 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 5th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 21.6 | 18.9 | 25.4 | 23.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 6th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 38.1 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 38.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 6th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 44.5 | 43.4 | 44.1 | 43.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 6th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 26.0 | 22.9 | 29.2 | 27.1 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 7th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 43.8 | 43.6 | 43.5 | 43.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 7th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 50.3 | 49.4 | 49.7 | 49.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 7th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 30.8 | 27.9 | 33.4 | 31.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 8th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 50.2 | 49.7 | 49.3 | 48.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 8th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 56.8 | 54.8 | 56.1 | 54.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 8th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 37.1 | 34.3 | 38.5 | 36.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 9th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 59.5 | 57.3 | 58.0 | 56.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 9th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 66.3 | 63.6 | 65.4 | 63.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 9th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 46.5 | 43.6 | 46.4 | 43.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 10th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 96.5 | 82.8 | 94.2 | 80.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 10th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 107.6 | 91.4 | 107.3 | 90.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Equivalised income: 10th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 77.4 | 66.3 | 73.8 | 62.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 1st 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 39.4 | 32.3 | 37.1 | 30.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 1st 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 42.3 | 35.8 | 40.6 | 34.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 1st 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 33.1 | 24.5 | 31.6 | 25.3 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 2nd 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 27.0 | 22.4 | 27.1 | 22.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 2nd 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 29.3 | 25.6 | 29.3 | 25.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 2nd 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 22.1 | 16.8 | 23.5 | 19.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 3rd 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 30.8 | 26.9 | 31.2 | 27.4 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 3rd 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 33.9 | 31.3 | 34.2 | 31.2 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 3rd 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 24.7 | 19.4 | 26.8 | 22.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 4th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 37.3 | 32.6 | 37.8 | 33.5 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 4th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 40.9 | 37.0 | 41.5 | 37.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 4th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 30.6 | 23.8 | 32.3 | 27.4 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 5th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 45.3 | 39.7 | 45.8 | 41.0 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 5th 10%-group | Male | 2023* | 50.6 | 45.3 | 51.5 | 46.8 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 5th 10%-group | Female | 2023* | 35.8 | 27.2 | 37.4 | 31.7 |
| Self-employed | A-U All economic activities | Wealth: 6th 10%-group | Total male and female | 2023* | 47.2 | 41.4 | 47.7 | 42.6 |
| Source: CBS. | ||||||||
Table explanation
This table contains statistics regarding income and capital of self-employed persons in the Netherlands. A distinction is made between, on the one hand, persons for whom self-employment provides for the main source of income, and on the other hand all persons with income from self-employed work. The figures in this table are broken down by type of self-employed person, sector, gender, age, migration background, position in the household, and by income and wealth decile groups.
All statistics in this table are at the individual level, this includes capital; (corporate) assets are summed per household and then assigned to all household members, thus serving as a measure of personal prosperity. The sample date for both population and capital is the first of January of the reporting year. For the older years 2007 up to and including 2010, capital is sampled on the first of January of the year following the reporting year.
The General Business Register (ABR) is used to determine the sector (SBI) of self-employed persons. The ABR has been subject to various trend breaks in the period 2007-2011. This leads to a sharp decrease in the number of self-employed persons in the financial services (sector K) in 2010. Therefore caution is advised when consulting sector trends or comparing numbers across sectors.
Data available from: 2007.
Status of the figures:
The figures for 2006 to 2022 are final. The figures for 2023 are preliminary.
Changes as of November 1 2024:
Figures for 2022 have been finalized. Figures for 2023 have been added.
Changes as of March 2022:
Figures on the wealth of the self-employed in 2010 were incorrect, and have been removed. For this year the wealth of 2011 applies, as 2011 marks a shift in sample date from December 31 to January 1. Missing wealth figures for 2013 have been supplemented.
Changes as of July 2021:
Revised data for 2006 to 2019 have been added. Due to the availability of new sources and improvements in the methodology, wealth figures have changed. Additionally everyone with personnel is now classified as self-employed with employee (formerly this distinction was based solely on the enterprise constituting the main source of income).
When will new figures be published?
New figures for 2024 will be published in December 2025.
Description topics
- Self-employed, main income
- Persons for whom self-employment provides for the main source of income.
- Self-employed income
- The income as a self-employed person comprises income from a self-owned company or practice, directorial wage, and other self-employed income (e.g. as a freelancer).
- Average personal income
- Personal income is defined as income from labor, income from self-employment, allowances from income insurances (like unemployment benefits) and social facilities (except for child benefits). Premiums for income insurances (except for national insurances like social welfare) are deducted from the personal income.
- Median personal income
- Personal income is defined as income from labor, income from self-employment, allowances from income insurances (like unemployment benefits) and social facilities (except for child benefits). Premiums for income insurances (except for national insurances like social welfare) are deducted from the personal income. The median is defined as the value separating the higher half from the lower half of the distribution. In simple terms, it may be thought of as the "middle" value of a data set.
- Self-employed, all incomes
- All persons with income from self-employed labour.
- Self-employed income
- The income as a self-employed person comprises income from a self-owned company or practice, directorial wage, and other self-employed income (e.g. as a freelancer).
- Average personal income
- Personal income is defined as income from labor, income from self-employment, allowances from income insurances (like unemployment benefits) and social facilities (except for child benefits). Premiums for income insurances (except for national insurances like social welfare) are deducted from the personal income.
- Median personal income
- Personal income is defined as income from labor, income from self-employment, allowances from income insurances (like unemployment benefits) and social facilities (except for child benefits). Premiums for income insurances (except for national insurances like social welfare) are deducted from the personal income. The median is defined as the value separating the higher half from the lower half of the distribution. In simple terms, it may be thought of as the "middle" value of a data set.