Rental Properties in Assen
On Huurzone you'll find a clear overview of almost all properties currently available for rent in Assen. The platform brings together listings from different landlords, housing corporations and letting agents, so you don’t have to browse dozens of websites yourself. Whether you’re looking for a spacious family home with a garden, a modern apartment near the station or a cosy studio close to the city centre, Huurzone helps you discover what is on the market right now. Every day new listings are added, so you always see one of the most up-to-date overviews of rental houses in Assen.
In this article we’ll tell you more about Assen itself and what you can do in your leisure time as a resident of the municipality. You’ll read about the different neighbourhoods, facilities and sights, and you’ll get tips on how to approach your rental search efficiently. Huurzone is not a landlord, but a search platform: you use our website to find suitable homes and then respond directly to the original advertiser. That way you remain in control of your search while saving a lot of time.
Rental Homes in Assen
Assen is a city and municipality in the province of Drenthe and also serves as the provincial capital. The municipality has around 68,000 inhabitants and consists of the city of Assen and the surrounding villages of Witten, Loon, Rhee, Ter Aard, Ubbena, Vries, Zeijerveen and Zeijerveld. The city lies in what is known as an esdorp landscape: a village form that developed in the Middle Ages on the edge of sandy soils, with open fields and farms around a central village green. You can still recognise traces of this structure in the layout of some of the older districts.
The convent Maria in Campis was relocated in 1259 to a cover sand ridge, the higher ground where the current city centre is located. With the arrival of the convent, streets were constructed and moats (singels) were dug, forming the basis of the later town plan. The convent itself was dissolved in 1602, but in the seventeenth century a new settlement grew up around these moats. In 1807 Assen became an independent municipality and in 1809 it officially obtained city rights.
After 1900 Assen developed very rapidly. Around the Second World War employment grew strongly and, as a result, the population increased sharply; after 1945 the number of inhabitants roughly doubled. New residential districts were added in several waves to accommodate this growth. Today Assen has a varied housing stock: from older terraced houses and characteristic detached homes in the older parts of town to spacious post-war neighbourhoods and modern new-build areas on the edge of the city. As a tenant you can therefore choose from a broad mix of property types and price ranges.
Sights in Assen
As a resident of Assen you naturally want to know what there is to do in your free time. Assen is a medium-sized city: the centre is compact but spacious, with plenty of options for shopping, culture and going out. You’ll find a cinema, theatre and performance venues where concerts and shows are organised regularly. On a free afternoon you can stroll through the car-free shopping streets, settle down on a terrace on one of the squares or visit an exhibition.
The historic inner city of Assen forms the main centre, with the largest concentration of shops and hospitality venues. Warenhuis Vanderveen – a large department store with different departments and catering concepts – and the covered shopping centre Triade are two of the best-known shopping destinations. Because the municipality consists of several cores, you will also find smaller neighbourhood shopping centres in various districts. These offer everyday amenities close to home, which is especially pleasant if you live a little further from the inner city.
As capital of Drenthe there is a lot to see and do in the centre of Assen. Several important monuments and historic buildings tell the story of the city and the province. Assen has four museums: the Barrel Organ Museum, the Drents Museum, the Stoottroepen Museum and DeFKa (formerly the municipal museum for contemporary art). The Drents Museum in particular is known nationwide for its archaeology, art and cultural-historical exhibitions, for example about the hunebedden and the history of the peat colonies.
Throughout the year many events are organised in and around the city. Some of the best-known are TT Assen at the TT Circuit, the International Film Festival Assen, the Liberation Festival, Gamma Racing Day and the Assen Blues Days. During such events the city fills with visitors from all over the Netherlands and abroad, giving Assen a lively festival atmosphere. As a resident you can enjoy this buzz, while on other days you live in a relatively quiet and green city.
Renting a House in Assen
If you are considering moving to Assen, it is useful to first gather information about the different neighbourhoods and districts. This way you can decide which areas appeal to you before you start viewing individual properties. Each area has its own characteristics, such as distance from the centre, the amount of green space, the age of the housing stock and the average price level.
Assen is divided into nine districts: Assen-Centrum, Assen-Oost, Lariks, Noorderpark, Pittelo, Assen-West, Peelo, Marsdijk and Kloosterveen. Some of these districts are named after the original villages and hamlets that now fall within the municipality. In and around the centre you mainly find apartments, upstairs houses and older terraced houses, often within walking distance of shops, restaurants and the station. Neighbourhoods such as Marsdijk and Kloosterveen are newer residential areas with lots of family homes, play areas and parking facilities, which makes them popular with families.
When you are looking for a rental property in Assen and you have specific preferences, it is smart to determine your requirements in advance. This applies to both the environment and the home itself. Questions that can help you include:
- Do you want to live near the centre, close to the station or preferably in a quiet, green district on the edge of the city?
- Are you looking for a flat, terraced house, semi-detached house or detached home?
- How many bedrooms do you need at a minimum and is outside space (garden, balcony or roof terrace) a must?
- Is it important that you can park on your own drive or in front of the door?
- Do you want a furnished or unfurnished property?
Once you have your preferences clearly listed, you can use Huurzone’s filters to focus on properties that match your wishes. Certain districts or neighbourhoods may immediately drop off your list when you apply your criteria, which makes your search much more focused. On the property pages you click straight through to the original advertiser, so you can quickly request a viewing or more information.
Why Rent in Assen
In Assen you will find all the amenities you need for daily life without the bustle of a big city. There are plenty of shops such as supermarkets, bakeries, specialty stores and drugstores. Spread across the city there are various sports clubs – from football and hockey to tennis and athletics – as well as gyms and swimming facilities. For children and teenagers there are multiple primary and secondary schools, and childcare and after-school care are also well represented.
Higher education is not located in Assen itself, but nearby cities such as Groningen offer universities and universities of applied sciences that are easy to reach by train or car. This makes Assen attractive for students who prefer to live a bit quieter, or for parents who want their children to be able to travel to their study city in a manageable way.
Accessibility is of course an important factor when choosing where to live. By car you reach Assen via the A28 from Groningen or Utrecht, and via the N33 you drive towards Veendam, Delfzijl and Eemshaven. The city is also accessible by public transport: Assen has its own railway station on the Zwolle–Groningen line. This provides a direct train connection to Zwolle and Groningen and, with through intercity trains, also to cities such as Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam. Regional and city buses ensure good connections between the station, the various districts and the surrounding villages.
Assen is a pleasant municipality where you can live quietly and green while still benefiting from the facilities of a city centre. The balance between tranquil residential areas and a compact, lively heart is well maintained. If you are looking for a rental home in a city that offers space, nature and good accessibility, Assen is definitely worth considering. Take a look at Huurzone for the current rental listings in Assen and create a free account to set your preferences and receive alerts when new properties that match your wishes appear online.
