Dessel: population and statistics
Dessel has a population of 10,191 (2026) across 27.4 km², or 371 people per km². It ranks 359 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 10,191 residents
- 27.4 km²
- 371 people/km²
- 25 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Dessel ranks No. 60 by population.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,033 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,845 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Retie, 3.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mol (38,793 residents), 6.1 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,132 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Dessel in numbers
All indicators for Dessel
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 | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.6% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 286 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.7% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 260 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 9.1% | – | 34.6% | ranked 548 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.8% | – | 15.3% | ranked 139 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 85.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 53 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 4,451 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 368 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 7.81 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 59 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.9% | – | 76.7% | ranked 92 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 984 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 362 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 96.6 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 338 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,840 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 315 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,723 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 287 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 335,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 193 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.26 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 258 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.8% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 328 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Dessel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 11.4% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 116 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.0% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 358 of 551 |
Population of Dessel over time
Dessel had 9,420 residents in 2016 and 10,191 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,659 |
| 2022 | 9,686 |
| 2023 | 9,805 |
| 2024 | 9,892 |
| 2025 | 10,076 |
| 2026 | 10,191 |
Where is Dessel?
Business sectors: Dessel
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.4% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade15.3% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical13.5% ×0.7
- Other service activities8.6% ×1.3
- Manufacturing7.3% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services6.0% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.6% ×1.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Dessel
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dessel?
Dessel has 10,191 residents (2026), ranking 359 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Dessel?
Dessel covers 27.4 km², with a density of 371 people per km².
Is the population of Dessel growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Dessel went from 9,420 to 10,191, a change of +8.2%.
Where is Dessel?
Dessel is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.239, longitude 5.113.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Dessel?
In Dessel, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 9.1% (2024), ranking 548 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning: what is the figure for Dessel?
In Dessel, “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning” stands at 86.9% (2024), ranking 92 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 76.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Dessel?
In Dessel, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,033 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Dessel?
The nearest to Dessel are Retie (3.6 km), Mol (6.1 km), Balen (8.6 km), Arendonk (9.2 km), Kasterlee (10 km).
Coat of arms: unknown, SVG = Own work, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: User:Phlegmatic, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
