Balen: population and statistics
Balen has a population of 23,916 (2026) across 73.0 km², or 328 people per km². It ranks 131 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 23,916 residents
- 73.0 km²
- 328 people/km²
- 34 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Balen ranks No. 17 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 5.1% in Balen, compared with an average of 9.8% in Antwerp and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,037 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 10,223 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mol (38,793 residents), 4.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,148 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Balen in numbers
All indicators for Balen
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.5% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 297 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.0% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 346 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 11.2% | – | 34.6% | ranked 531 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 21.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 59 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 148 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 11,252 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 131 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.11 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 133 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 79.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 222 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,293 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 141 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 95.9 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 350 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,263 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 281 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,219 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 239 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 325,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 219 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 242,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 173 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.28 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 217 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.6% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 339 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Balen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 7.3% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 233 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.1% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 441 of 551 |
Population of Balen over time
Balen had 22,168 residents in 2016 and 23,916 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,853 |
| 2022 | 23,000 |
| 2023 | 23,308 |
| 2024 | 23,523 |
| 2025 | 23,777 |
| 2026 | 23,916 |
Where is Balen?
Business sectors: Balen
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.8% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical16.3% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Other service activities8.9% ×1.3
- Manufacturing6.4% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services6.3% ×1.0
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.2% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services4.9% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Balen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Balen?
Balen has 23,916 residents (2026), ranking 131 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Balen?
Balen covers 73.0 km², with a density of 328 people per km².
Is the population of Balen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Balen went from 22,168 to 23,916, a change of +7.9%.
Where is Balen?
Balen is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.171, longitude 5.170.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Balen?
In Balen, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 11.2% (2024), ranking 531 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Balen?
In Balen, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 5.1% (2023), ranking 441 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Balen?
In Balen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,037 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Balen?
The nearest to Balen are Mol (4.1 km), Meerhout (7.8 km), Leopoldsburg (8.5 km), Dessel (8.6 km), Tessenderlo-Ham (11 km).
Coat of arms: unknown, SVG = Own work, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: David Descamps, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
