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Ghent

Reference date: 2026-01-01

274,042

residents

Explore Ghent through official statistics on population, age, housing, mobility, businesses and the local built environment, with sources and reference dates.

Ghent’s three towers and the Graslei, a documented local view of Ghent
Ghent’s three towers and the GrasleiLBM1948 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Adapted for Belgium in Maps; changes were made.
Population density
1,737.0residents/km²
Rank in Belgium
2ndout of 565 municipalities
Population change
+1,385
Reference date
2026-01-01

Key figures

At a glance

Twelve source-backed signals place this municipality in its demographic, housing, economic, land-use, mobility and connectivity context.

What stands out

  1. Land cover18.2 % of municipal areaLand cover: 18.2 % of municipal area · national percentile 1/100
  2. Scheduled public transport257.6 departures / 1,000 residentsScheduled public transport: 257.6 departures / 1,000 residents · national percentile 95/100
  3. Population density1,737.0 residents/km²Population density: 1,737.0 residents/km² · national percentile 93/100

Indicators use their latest available source period. The date is shown separately for every figure.

Population and age

Population

274,042

residents

+1,385 since 2025 (+0.5%)

20.9× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 100/100 among 565

13.5× the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 among 55

Period: · Source: Statbel population by residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex, 2026

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Population density

1,737.0

residents/km²

+8.8 since 2025 (+0.5%)

5.4× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 93/100 among 565

3.9× the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 among 55

Period: · Source: Statbel population by residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex, 2026

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Age profile

37

years

14% below Belgium’s municipal median

16% below the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 1/100 among 55

Period: · Source: Statbel population by residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex, 2026

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Housing and built environment

Housing stock

153,647

dwellings

25.2× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 100/100 among 565

16.7× the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 among 55

Period: · Source: Statbel cadastral building stock, 2025 release

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Building permits

8.8

new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellings

Total: 1,359 dwellings

23% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 65/100 among 565

2% below the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 46/100 among 55

Reference date: · Source: Statbel building permits by month and administrative geography

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Land cover

Non-cadastral surface

18.2

% of municipal area

Total: 2,866 ha

53% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 1/100 among 565

57% below the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 1/100 among 55

Reference date: · Source: Statbel land cover according to the Land Register (SQLite)

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House sales

16.3

sales / 1,000 dwellings

Total: 2,504 sales

5% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 39/100 among 565

17% below the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 12/100 among 55

Reference date: · Source: Statbel real-estate deeds by statistical sector, 2013-2024

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Mobility and connectivity

Scheduled public transport

257.6

departures / 1,000 residents

Total: 70,597 departures

158% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 95/100 among 565

4.3× the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 among 55

Scheduled service date: Published timetable; planned service, not observed operations. · Source: De Lijn static GTFS, STIB-MIVB static GTFS, TEC static GTFS, SNCB-NMBS static GTFS, Statbel population by residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex, 2026, Statbel statistical sectors 2026 (GeoJSON, EPSG:3812)

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Public level crossings

23

crossings

Belgium’s municipal median is 0; percentage comparison is not shown · national percentile 100/100 among 565

4.6× the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 97/100 among 55

Period: · Source: Infrabel — public level crossings

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Fixed broadband coverage

98.8

%

0.4% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 68/100 among 565

0.8% above the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 88/100 among 55

Period: · Source: BIPT Atlas Fixed

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5G mobile coverage

100.0

%

Same as Belgium’s municipal median

Same as the municipal median in East Flanders

Period: · Source: BIPT Atlas Mobile

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Economy and employment

VAT-registered enterprises

117.3

enterprises / 1,000 residents

Total: 32,141 enterprises

15% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 74/100 among 565

8% above the municipal median in East Flanders · provincial percentile 63/100 among 55

Reference date: · Source: Statbel VAT-registered enterprises by legal form, 2024

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Official time series

Official time series: Ghent2017–2026: 259,083–274,042.276,735269,953263,172256,390259,0832017260,3412018262,2192019263,9272020263,7032021265,0862022268,1222023269,5972024272,6572025274,0422026
2017-01-01 – 2026-01-01

Source: official Statbel data · Statbel

View the exact data table
Official time series
2026274,0421,737.0
2025272,6571,728.2
2024269,5971,708.8
2023268,1221,699.5
2022265,0861,680.2
2021263,7031,671.5
2020263,9271,672.9
2019262,2191,662.3
2018260,3411,650.4
2017259,0831,642.1
2016257,0291,629.1
2015253,2661,605.3
2014251,1331,591.8
2013248,8131,577.0
2012248,2421,573.4
2011247,4881,568.7
2010243,3661,542.5
2009240,0491,521.5

Key figures

Municipalities in the same province with a similar population

Use these population patterns in Horizon Mapper for catchment and location-opportunity analysis. Horizon Mapper