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Gistel

Reference date: 2026-01-01

12,098

residents

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

A documented local view of Gistel
Documented local viewSelf-photographed · Public domain · Adapted for Belgium in Maps; changes were made.
Population density
282.4residents/km²
Rank in Belgium
308thout of 565 municipalities
Population change
-19
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. Building permits22.9 new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellingsBuilding permits: 22.9 new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellings · national percentile 97/100
  2. Scheduled public transport47.7 departures / 1,000 residentsScheduled public transport: 47.7 departures / 1,000 residents · national percentile 14/100
  3. Land cover54.2 % of municipal areaLand cover: 54.2 % of municipal area · national percentile 83/100

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

Population and age

Population

12,098

residents

−19 since 2025 (−0.2%)

8% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 46/100 among 565

5% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 44/100 among 62

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

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Population density

282.4

residents/km²

−0.4 since 2025 (−0.2%)

12% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 46/100 among 565

13% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 41/100 among 62

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

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Age profile

45

years

5% above Belgium’s municipal median

2% above the municipal median in West Flanders

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

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Housing and built environment

Housing stock

5,812

dwellings

5% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 47/100 among 565

12% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 41/100 among 62

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

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Building permits

22.9

new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellings

Total: 133 dwellings

3.2× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 97/100 among 565

100% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 94/100 among 62

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

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Land cover

Arable land

54.2

% of municipal area

Total: 2,323 ha

40% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 83/100 among 565

21% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 83/100 among 62

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

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House sales

20.3

sales / 1,000 dwellings

Total: 118 sales

18% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 83/100 among 565

10% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 80/100 among 62

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

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Mobility and connectivity

Scheduled public transport

47.7

departures / 1,000 residents

Total: 577 departures

52% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 14/100 among 565

14% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 36/100 among 62

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

0

crossings

Same as Belgium’s municipal median

100% below the municipal median in West Flanders

Period: · Source: Infrabel — public level crossings

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Fixed broadband coverage

98.2

%

0.1% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 45/100 among 565

0.3% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 57/100 among 62

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 West Flanders

Period: · Source: BIPT Atlas Mobile

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Economy and employment

VAT-registered enterprises

114.6

enterprises / 1,000 residents

Total: 1,386 enterprises

12% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 70/100 among 565

10% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 27/100 among 62

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

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Official time series

Official time series: Gistel2017–2026: 12,021–12,098.12,30912,19812,08811,97712,021201712,063201812,178201912,166202012,107202112,106202212,265202312,244202412,117202512,0982026
2017-01-01 – 2026-01-01

Source: official Statbel data · Statbel

View the exact data table
Official time series
202612,098282.4
202512,117282.8
202412,244285.8
202312,265286.3
202212,106282.6
202112,107282.6
202012,166284.0
201912,178284.5
201812,063281.9
201712,021280.7
201611,851276.8
201511,753274.5
201411,826276.2
201311,871277.2
201211,792275.4
201111,781275.1
201011,727273.9
200911,702273.3

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