Drenthe is a province of villages, forests and heathland, with a few larger towns. Assen is the provincial capital and Emmen the largest municipality. Addressly doesn't have its own city page in Drenthe yet, but you can add the places on this page to your search profile.
This guide helps you choose where to search in Drenthe: Assen, Emmen, Meppel, Hoogeveen or Coevorden. For each place you can read where it lies, how it is connected and what to look out for in a listing.
If you work outside Drenthe, the connection to Groningen or Zwolle often plays a big part. Assen, Hoogeveen and Meppel lie on the railway between those two cities.
Assen lies in the north of Drenthe, south of Groningen. Hoogeveen is in the south and Meppel in the south-west, close to the border with Overijssel. Emmen and Coevorden lie in the south-east, close to the German border. Between these places are villages, forests and heathland, with national parks such as the Drents-Friese Wold and the Dwingelderveld.
The provincial capital, with a station on the railway between Groningen and Zwolle. That makes Assen interesting for anyone who works or studies in Groningen but wants to live outside the city. The centre is home to the Drents Museum, among other things. For any home, check how far the address is from the station and which facilities are nearby.
No Addressly city page yet; you can still add Assen to your search profile.
The largest municipality in Drenthe, in the south-east of the province. Emmen has a station on the line to Zwolle via Coevorden and a campus of NHL Stenden, so students are searching here too. The municipality also includes many villages, such as Klazienaveen and Nieuw-Amsterdam; check the full address of every listing.
No Addressly city page yet; you can still add Emmen to your search profile.
Lies in the south-west of Drenthe, near the border with Overijssel. Meppel is a railway junction: coming from Zwolle, the lines to Leeuwarden and Groningen split here. That makes it interesting if you travel in more than one direction. The historic centre has canals and older buildings.
No Addressly city page yet; you can still add Meppel to your search profile.
Lies in the south of Drenthe, on the railway between Zwolle and Groningen. Hoogeveen is one of the larger towns in the province, with its own centre and residential areas around it. For any home, compare the journey to the station and the facilities nearby.
No Addressly city page yet; you can still add Hoogeveen to your search profile.
An old fortified town in the south-east, close to the German border. Coevorden has a station on the line between Emmen and Zwolle. It is a smaller town with limited supply; include Coevorden mainly if you work in the region or want a quiet place to live.
No Addressly city page yet; you can still add Coevorden to your search profile.
If you work or study in Groningen, Assen is the obvious choice. If you work in Zwolle, Meppel and Hoogeveen are more interesting. Emmen and Coevorden have their own line to Zwolle. Choose the places on the line that fits your journey, and test the journey time at the moment you would actually travel.
Many municipalities in Drenthe consist of a main town and a series of villages. A listing under the municipality's name may therefore be in a village, sometimes a long way from the station or the shops. So always look at the full address and postcode.
If you are looking for peace and space in Drenthe, close to forest and heath, think about the practical side too. How do you get to the supermarket, the station and your work in bad weather or when you get home late? Without a car, a home near a station or a bus stop with a good connection is usually the most convenient.
Smaller towns see fewer listings than the big cities, so a suitable home can go quickly. Set your search profile broadly enough, for example with two or three places on the same railway line, so you aren't left for weeks without seeing anything.
Addressly doesn't have its own city page in Drenthe yet, but you can add Assen, Emmen and other places in Drenthe to your search profile. Addressly then monitors matching listings and can send viewing requests from your own inbox. Replies come straight to you.
Want to set up a search that covers more than one city? Our guide on responding faster to rental listings explains how to build your profile.
Assen. Emmen is the largest municipality in the province.
Assen lies on the railway between Groningen and Zwolle, so you can. Do check the journey from your front door to the station and from the station to your destination.
The places in Drenthe have a smaller supply than the big cities. You can still add them to your search profile; Addressly then monitors matching listings there too.
All the places on this page have a station. Assen, Hoogeveen and Meppel lie on the line between Groningen and Zwolle; Emmen and Coevorden on the line to Zwolle.
Yes, the municipality of Emmen includes many villages, such as Klazienaveen and Nieuw-Amsterdam. A listing under ‘Emmen’ may therefore be in one of those villages; check the full address.
Meppel is where the lines to Leeuwarden and Groningen split, coming from Zwolle. That lets you travel in several directions from Meppel; do check the journey time at your real times.
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Content last reviewed Sept. 13, 2026.