Income and poverty in Belgium: maps and local statistics

Tax returns below critical threshold

Share of individual tax returns (excluding zero returns) with a net taxable income below 10,000 euros. Share of joint tax returns (excluding zero returns) with a net taxable income below 20,000 euros. The total net taxable income consists of all net income of all residents minus the deductible expenses. The net taxable income is the sum of all income from real estate (rental income and income from housing), income from and proceeds of movable property and capital (dividends, interest…), professional income (salaries and wages, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, (early) pension benefits, profits, gains, salaries of business managers and assisting spouses, after deduction of professional expenses) and various income, reduced by deductible expenses (such as childcare, alimony, donations…). These data are based on the personal income tax returns submitted by the Federal Public Service Finance to Statbel. The year mentioned is the income year, that is, the year in which the data in the returns were "earned." From 2022 onwards, the tax returns of 15-17 year olds are also included.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published field 'Number of individual tax returns with a net taxable income below 10,000 euros and number of joint returns with a net taxable income below 20,000 euros' for Declarations below the critical threshold. Official Dutch wording is retained because the publisher supplies no official translation.

Tax returns greater than 50,000 euros

Share of tax returns (excluding zero returns) with a net taxable income above 50,000 euros. The total net taxable income consists of all net income of all residents minus the deductible expenses. The net taxable income is the sum of all income from real estate (rental income and income from residences), income from and proceeds of movable property and capital (dividends, interest…), professional income (salaries and wages, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, (bridge) pension benefits, profits, gains, salaries of company directors and working spouses, after deduction of professional expenses) and various income, reduced by deductible expenses (such as childcare, maintenance payments, donations…). These data are based on the personal income tax returns provided by the FPS Finance to Statbel. The mentioned year is the income year, the year in which the data in the returns were "earned." From 2022 onwards, the returns of 15-17 year olds are also included.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published field 'Number of tax returns with a net taxable income higher than 50,000 euros' for Tax returns over 50,000 euros. Official Dutch wording is retained because the publisher supplies no official translation.

Administrative income coverage

Persons included or not included in the administrative-income population.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Administrative income distribution

Published administrative-income quartiles.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Administrative monetary poverty risk

Statbel administrative poverty-risk estimate by 2019 municipality code.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Poverty risk (3132)

Poverty risk (3132). One compact cube retains 1 exact PinC indicators, every publisher period, unit, formula, denominator, source and publication marker.

Latest period

2024

Finest geography

municipality

At-risk-of-poverty rate before social transfers (pensions excluded from social transfers) by NUTS 2 region

At-risk-of-poverty rate before social transfers (pensions excluded from social transfers) by NUTS 2 region. Complete annual Eurostat source dimensions, units and observation flags are retained in one compact cube.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

province

At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region

At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region. Complete annual Eurostat source dimensions, units and observation flags are retained in one compact cube.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

province

Average taxable income

Average taxable income

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Total net taxable income divided by non-zero-income declarations.

Payment difficulties

Share of residents belonging to a household with payment difficulties, i.e., who have had problems in the past year paying one or more bills (on time) (rent/mortgage repayment, energy costs, health costs, school costs, internet/telephony/television, ...). Has it occurred in the past year that you or another person in the household was unable to pay one or more bills (on time) for financial reasons? Rent/mortgage repayment (loan repayment). Electricity/water/gas/heating oil bill. Internet/telephony/television. Health expenses. Repayment of purchases on installment (except for the house). School costs. Childcare. Other expenses. Answer options: 'No, that did not happen in the past year,' 'Yes, it has happened that the bill could not be paid (on time),' 'Don't know/not applicable'

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Weighted percentage from the Municipality-City Monitor. For 2023, the fields ja_66f2ea46__lower95 and ja_66f2ea46__upper95 are stored as a 95% confidence interval.

Payment difficulties repayment

Share of residents belonging to a household with payment difficulties who were unable to repay recent purchases on installment. Has it occurred during the past year that you or another person in the household could not pay one or more bills (on time) for financial reasons? Rent/mortgage payment (loan repayment). Electricity/water/gas/heating oil bill. Internet/phone/television. Health expenses. Repayment of purchases on installment (except for the home). School costs. Childcare. Food. Other expenses. Answer options: 'No, this did not happen in the past year', 'Yes, it has happened that the bill could not be paid (on time)', 'Don't know/not applicable'

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Weighted percentage from the Municipality-City Monitor. For 2023, the fields ja_66f2ea46__lower95 and ja_66f2ea46__upper95 are stored as a 95% confidence interval.

Payment difficulties for food

Share of residents belonging to a household with payment difficulties who were unable to pay for food in the past year. Has it occurred in the past year that you or another person in the household could not pay one or more bills (on time) for financial reasons? Rent/repayment of housing (loan repayment). Bill for electricity/water/gas/heating oil. Internet/telephone/television. Health expenses. Repayment of purchases on installment (except for the house). School costs. Childcare. Food. Other expenses. Answer options: 'No, that has not happened in the past year', 'Yes, it has happened that the bill could not be paid (on time)', 'Don't know/not applicable'

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Weighted percentage from the Municipality-City Monitor. For 2023, the fields ja_66f2ea46__lower95 and ja_66f2ea46__upper95 are stored as a 95% confidence interval.

Collective debt arrangement (3127)

Collective debt arrangement (3127). One compact cube retains 2 exact PinC indicators, every publisher period, unit, formula, denominator, source and publication marker.

Latest period

2022

Finest geography

municipality

Energy-poor households

Number of digital meters (electricity and natural gas) with prepaid function in relation to number of access points on December 31.

Latest period

2024

Finest geography

municipality

Published field 'Number of active budget meters electricity and natural gas' for Energy-poor households. Official Dutch wording is retained because the publisher supplies no official translation.

Equivalent social assistance — annual beneficiaries

Number of distinct people recorded under the “Equivalent social assistance” measure during the calendar year; each person is counted once. Annual values are distinct beneficiaries published by the SPP/POD. Monthly counts must never be summed to recreate them. Breakdown options are independent publisher views of annual distinct beneficiaries. Do not sum options, breakdowns, municipalities or legal measures.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

municipality

Average income, per resident

Average net taxable income per inhabitant. The total net taxable income consists of all net income of all inhabitants minus deductible expenses. The net taxable income is the sum of all income from real estate (rental income and income from housing), income from and proceeds of movable property and capital (dividends, interest…), professional income (salaries and wages, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, (early) pension benefits, profits, gains, salaries of business managers and assisting spouses, after deduction of professional expenses) and various income, reduced by deductible expenses (such as childcare, alimony, donations…). These data are based on the personal income tax returns submitted by the Federal Public Service Finance to Statbel. The year mentioned is the income year, the year in which the data in the returns were 'earned'. From 2022 onwards, the returns of 15-17 year-olds are also included.

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published field 'Total net taxable income (in million euros)' for Average income, per inhabitant. Official Dutch wording is retained because the publisher supplies no official translation.

General individualized social integration project — annual beneficiaries

Number of distinct people recorded under the “General individualized social integration project” measure during the calendar year; each person is counted once. Annual values are distinct beneficiaries published by the SPP/POD. Monthly counts must never be summed to recreate them. Breakdown options are independent publisher views of annual distinct beneficiaries. Do not sum options, breakdowns, municipalities or legal measures.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

municipality

Impact of social transfers (excluding pensions) on poverty reduction by sex and NUTS 2 region

Impact of social transfers (excluding pensions) on poverty reduction by sex and NUTS 2 region. Complete annual Eurostat source dimensions, units and observation flags are retained in one compact cube.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

province

Income interquartile asymmetry

Income interquartile asymmetry

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published Statbel interquartile asymmetry coefficient.

Income interquartile coefficient

Income interquartile coefficient

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published Statbel interquartile dispersion coefficient.

Income interquartile range

Income interquartile range

Latest period

2023

Finest geography

municipality

Published difference between the third and first quartile.

Income of households by NUTS 2 region

Income of households by NUTS 2 region. Complete annual Eurostat source dimensions, units and observation flags are retained in one compact cube.

Latest period

2024

Finest geography

province

Individualized social integration project — annual beneficiaries

Number of distinct people recorded under the “Individualized social integration project” measure during the calendar year; each person is counted once. Annual values are distinct beneficiaries published by the SPP/POD. Monthly counts must never be summed to recreate them. Breakdown options are independent publisher views of annual distinct beneficiaries. Do not sum options, breakdowns, municipalities or legal measures.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

municipality

Installation grant — annual beneficiaries

Number of distinct people recorded under the “Installation grant” measure during the calendar year; each person is counted once. Annual values are distinct beneficiaries published by the SPP/POD. Monthly counts must never be summed to recreate them. Breakdown options are independent publisher views of annual distinct beneficiaries. Do not sum options, breakdowns, municipalities or legal measures.

Latest period

2025

Finest geography

municipality