Brecht: population and statistics
Brecht has a population of 30,755 (2026) across 91.5 km², or 336 people per km². It ranks 87 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 30,755 residents
- 91.5 km²
- 336 people/km²
- 27 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Brecht ranks No. 10 by population.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 17.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,038 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Median selling price of houses”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,810 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Wuustwezel, 5.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Turnhout (48,490 residents), 21 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,152 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Brecht in numbers
All indicators for Brecht
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 | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.5% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 133 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.4% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 416 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 8.6% | – | 34.6% | ranked 552 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 22.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 30 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 124 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 13,368 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 104 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.94 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 223 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 105 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 3,747 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 61 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 121.8 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 115 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,419 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 134 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,455 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 116 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 450,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 49 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 315,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 28 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.36 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 81 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 14.5% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 474 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Brecht | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 7.0% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 248 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.0% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 450 of 551 |
Population of Brecht over time
Brecht had 28,534 residents in 2016 and 30,755 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 29,809 |
| 2022 | 30,143 |
| 2023 | 30,387 |
| 2024 | 30,610 |
| 2025 | 30,664 |
| 2026 | 30,755 |
Where is Brecht?
Business sectors: Brecht
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction17.2% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical17.2% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade14.5% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.2% ×1.1
- Other service activities7.2% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.8% ×1.4
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Information and communication4.5% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Brecht
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Brecht?
Brecht has 30,755 residents (2026), ranking 87 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Brecht?
Brecht covers 91.5 km², with a density of 336 people per km².
Is the population of Brecht growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Brecht went from 28,534 to 30,755, a change of +7.8%.
Where is Brecht?
Brecht is in Antwerp. It belongs to Antwerpen (arrondissement). Latitude 51.349, longitude 4.639.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Brecht?
In Brecht, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 8.6% (2024), ranking 552 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Median selling price of houses: what is the figure for Brecht?
In Brecht, “Median selling price of houses” stands at 450,000 € (2025), ranking 49 of 554 municipalities; the national median is 302,500 €.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Brecht?
In Brecht, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,038 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Brecht?
The nearest to Brecht are Wuustwezel (5.7 km), Malle (6.7 km), Rijkevorsel (8.4 km), Hoogstraten (10 km), Zoersel (10 km).
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