Belgium’s statistical office, Statbel, has named the Brussels municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode as the most densely populated area of the country, followed by Saint-Gilles in second place.
Overall, Belgium’s population density was at 383 inhabitants per km² on 1 January 2024, according to the new provisional figures published on Wednesday by StatBel. This is a slight increase from early 2023 (381 inhabitants).
Yet substantial differences exist between the country’s regions. The Brussels-Capital Region is comfortably the most densely populated in the country, registering 7,694 inhabitants/km².
For comparison, the Flemish Region registers a population density of 501 inhabitants/km², while the Walloon Region counts 218 inhabitants/km².
Within inner-city Brussels, the city’s two smallest communes are those with the most inhabitants per square kilometre.
Brussels bussle
The most densely populated municipality in Brussels, and the country, is Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (23.173 inhabitants / km²). Following that, is Saint-Gilles (19,454), which has an area of only 2.5 km², while Saint-Josse only stretches by 1.1 km².
Another small commune, Koekelberg, won bronze (19,162). Closing out the top five are two significantly larger municipalities: Schaerbeek (16,504) and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (16,352).
Curiously, the City of Brussels (5,949) is in the bottom five municipalities of the region for population density, but is still higher than all Flemish and Walloon municipalities. The least densely populated commune of the Belgian capital is Watermael-Boitsfort (1,951).
Within Flemish municipalities, the highest population density areas are all in the province of Antwerp, with Mortsel (3,416) leading the way. The lowest can be found in West Flanders, with Lo-Reninge (51) having the most space.
Those seeking more space can find it primarily in Wallonia. The region has the lowest density in the country, the with Namur municipality Vresse-sur-Semois counting only 24 inhabitants/km² – the lowest in Belgium. Liege province’s Saint-Nicolas is the most populated Walloon area, with 3,546.
