Villages

Gorredijk (De Gordyk) is the largest village in Opsterland. The village has a center function for the surrounding villages.

Hemrik (De Himrik), is a small and attractive village in the south of the municipality of Opsterland.

Jonkerslân is located at the southern edge of the municipality of Opsterland, on the road from Gorredijk to Langezwaag.

Langezwaag (Langsweagen) is located on the road from Gorredijk to Heerenveen. The village lies on the border between sandy and peaty soil.

Lippenhuizen (Lippenhuzen) is originally a farming village, formerly called Kobunderhuizen.

Luxwoude is originally a peat extraction village and belongs to the smaller villages of the municipality of Opsterland.

Nij Beets is a young regional village, founded by peat laborers, which came into existence when peat extraction began around 1860.

Olterterp, east of Beetsterzwaag, is the smallest village in the municipality with about 90 inhabitants. 

The village of Siegerswoude (Sigerswâld) lies in a semi-open to open bog reclamation area, on the border between the source area of the Alddjip (Koningsdiep) and the northern sand ridge.

Terwispel is located in the west of the municipality of Opsterland, near Gorredijk, Opsterland's largest nucleus. Terwispel is one of the older settlements of the municipality and used to be a farming village.

Tijnje (De Tynje) is a residential village located in the western peat meadow area of Opsterland. Tijnje is located just along the A7, halfway between Drachten and Heerenveen, and on the main road between Gorredijk and Oldeboorn/Akkrum. The village is close to nature reserve 'De Deelen' and is sheltered among the trees. The original character of this agricultural peat extraction village was a road village.

Ureterp (Oerterp) is one of the older farming settlements on the higher sand ridges north of the Alddjip (Koningsdiep). The village lies a few kilometers southeast of Drachten, on the road from Beetsterzwaag to Siegerswoude.

Wijnjewoude (Wynjewâld) is one of the older farming settlements in Opsterland. Wijnjewoude lies between Bakkeveen and Hemrik near the eastern border of the municipality of Opsterland, on the N31 (Oosterwolde - Drachten).

In the economic field, the municipalities of Opsterland and Smallingerland are working together. The Drachten-Azeven business park is a result of this.