31% of Dutch employee jobs are at family businesses

In December 2024, 31% of employee jobs in the Netherlands were at a family business, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. Non-family businesses accounted for 50.2% of employee jobs.

Retail has the most family businesses, just over 36,000, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing with nearly 36,000. In agriculture, forestry and fishing almost 45% of businesses are family-run, the highest share of any sector.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing has the highest share of jobs at family businesses

% of employee jobs at family businesses, December 2024

Agriculture, forestry and fishing has the highest share of jobs at family businesses (% of employee jobs at family businesses, December 2024). Highest: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, 73.3; lowest: All activities, 31; 10 items. Source: CBS.

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Data: Agriculture, forestry and fishing has the highest share of jobs at family businesses

Item	% of employee jobs at family businesses, December 2024
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	73.3
Car trade and repair	68.6
Hospitality	63.1
Construction	57.8
Retail	50.9
Wholesale	42.6
Business services	37.8
Transport and storage	35.1
Industry	34.7
All activities	31

Most family businesses are small. Of all family businesses in 2024, 85% were micro businesses of 2 to 10 working people, more than 252,000 in total. Among other businesses, 52% are micro businesses.

Large firms with 250 or more working people also include family businesses: 630 of them, or 17% of that category.

Family businesses also last longer. Nearly 19% are thirty years old or more, against nearly 9% of other businesses. Another 46% are ten to thirty years old, against slightly more than 29% of other businesses.