Brussels, Belgium – September 18, 2024 – Belgium’s population density figures for early 2024 reveal a striking disparity across the country’s regions, with Saint-Josse-ten-Noode emerging as the most densely populated municipality.
According to the latest provisional data from Statbel, the Brussels municipality registers an impressive 23,173 inhabitants per square kilometre, placing it at the top of the national density rankings.
The overall population density in Belgium has risen slightly to 383 inhabitants per square kilometre as of January 1, 2024, up from 381 the previous year. However, the distribution of this density varies significantly across the country’s regions, reflecting notable differences in living conditions.
In the Brussels-Capital Region, which boasts a density of 7,694 inhabitants per square kilometre, the inner-city areas are characterized by particularly high population concentrations.
Following Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in the density rankings is the nearby municipality of Saint-Gilles, with 19,454 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Saint-Gilles, with its compact area of just 2.5 square kilometres, and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, stretching over 1.1 square kilometres, both feature prominently in the list of Belgium’s most densely populated areas.
The third spot on the list goes to Koekelberg, which has a population density of 19,162 inhabitants per square kilometre.
The remaining top five positions are occupied by Schaerbeek, with 16,504 inhabitants per square kilometre, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, at 16,352 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Interestingly, despite its status as the central hub of Brussels, the City of Brussels itself ranks relatively low in terms of density compared to its smaller neighboring communes.
The city has a density of 5,949 inhabitants per square kilometre, placing it in the lower half of the Brussels region’s density spectrum.
Watermael-Boitsfort, a more spacious commune within Brussels, is the least densely populated in the region, with only 1,951 inhabitants per square kilometre.
In the Flemish Region, the highest population densities are found in the province of Antwerp. Mortsel leads with a density of 3,416 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Conversely, municipalities in West Flanders, such as Lo-Reninge, have a significantly lower density, with just 51 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Wallonia, known for its more rural landscape, has the lowest population density in Belgium. The municipality of Vresse-sur-Semois in Namur has the country’s lowest density, at only 24 inhabitants per square kilometre. Within Wallonia, Saint-Nicolas in Liège province is the most densely populated area, with 3,546 inhabitants per square kilometre.
These figures underscore the stark contrast between the densely populated urban areas of Brussels and the more spacious regions of Flanders and Wallonia.
As Belgium continues to navigate its demographic and urban planning challenges, these statistics provide valuable insights into the varying living conditions experienced by its residents across different regions.
