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Ostend

Reference date: 2026-01-01

73,000

residents

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

A documented local view of Ostend
Documented local viewMarc Ryckaert · CC BY 3.0 · Adapted for Belgium in Maps; changes were made.
Population density
1,769.2residents/km²
Rank in Belgium
22ndout of 565 municipalities
Population change
+183
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 density1,769.2 residents/km²Population density: 1,769.2 residents/km² · national percentile 94/100
  2. House sales8.3 sales / 1,000 dwellingsHouse sales: 8.3 sales / 1,000 dwellings · national percentile 6/100
  3. Fixed broadband coverage99.4 %Fixed broadband coverage: 99.4 % · national percentile 92/100

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

Population and age

Population

73,000

residents

+183 since 2025 (+0.3%)

5.6× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 96/100 among 565

5.7× the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 96/100 among 62

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

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Population density

1,769.2

residents/km²

+4.4 since 2025 (+0.3%)

5.5× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 94/100 among 565

5.4× the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 among 62

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

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Age profile

49

years

14% above Belgium’s municipal median

11% 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

54,255

dwellings

8.9× Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 98/100 among 565

8.2× the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 98/100 among 62

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

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Building permits

14.9

new dwellings / 1,000 existing dwellings

Total: 807 dwellings

107% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 88/100 among 565

30% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 67/100 among 62

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

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Land cover

Non-cadastral surface

26.6

% of municipal area

Total: 1,097 ha

31% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 17/100 among 565

41% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 9/100 among 62

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

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House sales

8.3

sales / 1,000 dwellings

Total: 452 sales

52% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 6/100 among 565

55% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 7/100 among 62

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

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Mobility and connectivity

Scheduled public transport

177.6

departures / 1,000 residents

Total: 12,963 departures

78% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 85/100 among 565

3.2× the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 96/100 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

2

crossings

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

100% above the municipal median in West Flanders

Period: · Source: Infrabel — public level crossings

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Fixed broadband coverage

99.4

%

1% above Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 92/100 among 565

1% above the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 99/100 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

86.7

enterprises / 1,000 residents

Total: 6,328 enterprises

15% below Belgium’s municipal median · national percentile 26/100 among 565

32% below the municipal median in West Flanders · provincial percentile 7/100 among 62

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

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Official time series

Official time series: Ostend2017–2026: 70,994–73,000.73,36172,45271,54270,63370,994201771,332201871,494201971,647202071,755202171,557202272,175202372,586202472,817202573,0002026
2017-01-01 – 2026-01-01

Source: official Statbel data · Statbel

View the exact data table
Official time series
202673,0001,769.2
202572,8171,764.8
202472,5861,772.4
202372,1751,762.3
202271,5571,747.2
202171,7551,752.1
202071,6471,749.5
201971,4941,745.8
201871,3321,741.6
201770,9941,880.1
201670,6001,869.6
201570,4601,865.9
201470,2741,861.0
201369,9691,852.9
201270,2841,861.3
201169,7331,846.7
201069,0641,829.0
200969,0611,828.9

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