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Mechelen

Reference date: 2026-01-01

90,355

residents

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

A documented local view of Mechelen
Documented local viewHubert DENIES · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Adapted for Belgium in Maps; changes were made.
Population density
1,373.4residents/km²
Rank in Belgium
15thout of 565 municipalities
Population change
+700
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. Population density1,373.4 residents/km²Population density: 1,373.4 residents/km² · national percentile 91/100
  2. Land cover25.7 % of municipal areaLand cover: 25.7 % of municipal area · national percentile 13/100
  3. Scheduled public transport182.0 departures / 1,000 residentsScheduled public transport: 182.0 departures / 1,000 residents · national percentile 86/100

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

Population and age

Population

90,355

residents

+700 since 2025 (+0.8%)

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

4.8× the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 98/100 among 67

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

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Population density

1,373.4

residents/km²

+10.6 since 2025 (+0.8%)

4.3× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 91/100 among 565

151% above the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 87/100 among 67

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

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Age profile

38

years

12% below Belgium’s municipal median

16% below the municipal median in Antwerp Province

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

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Housing and built environment

Housing stock

42,468

dwellings

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

5.1× the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 98/100 among 67

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

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Building permits

8.8

new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellings

Total: 373 dwellings

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

7% above the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 57/100 among 67

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

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Land cover

Arable land

25.7

% of municipal area

Total: 1,688 ha

34% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 13/100 among 565

12% below the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 29/100 among 67

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

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House sales

18.6

sales / 1,000 dwellings

Total: 790 sales

8% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 64/100 among 565

6% above the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 68/100 among 67

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

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Mobility and connectivity

Scheduled public transport

182.0

departures / 1,000 residents

Total: 16,441 departures

82% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 86/100 among 565

119% above the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 95/100 among 67

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

8

crossings

Belgium’s municipal median is 0; percentage comparison is not shown

the municipal median in Antwerp Province is 0; percentage comparison is not shown

Period: · Source: Infrabel — public level crossings

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Fixed broadband coverage

98.6

%

0.2% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 56/100 among 565

0.5% above the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 74/100 among 67

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 Antwerp Province

Period: · Source: BIPT Atlas Mobile

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Economy and employment

VAT-registered enterprises

97.2

enterprises / 1,000 residents

Total: 8,784 enterprises

5% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 41/100 among 565

8% below the municipal median in Antwerp Province · provincial percentile 26/100 among 67

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

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Official time series

Official time series: Mechelen2017–2026: 85,665–90,355.91,19989,07386,94784,82185,665201786,304201886,616201986,921202086,911202186,996202288,614202389,313202489,655202590,3552026
2017-01-01 – 2026-01-01

Source: official Statbel data · Statbel

View the exact data table
Official time series
202690,3551,373.4
202589,6551,362.8
202489,3131,357.6
202388,6141,347.0
202286,9961,322.4
202186,9111,321.1
202086,9211,321.2
201986,6161,316.3
201886,3041,311.9
201785,6651,303.2
201684,5231,285.8
201583,9751,277.5
201483,1941,265.6
201382,6021,256.6
201282,3251,252.4
201181,9251,246.3
201080,9401,231.3
200980,2051,220.1

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