Geel: population and statistics
Geel has a population of 42,650 (2026) across 110.2 km², or 387 people per km². It ranks 46 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 42,650 residents
- 110.2 km²
- 387 people/km²
- 24 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Geel ranks No. 5 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,040 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,436 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Meerhout, 6.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Hasselt (90,914 residents), 35 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,160 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Geel in numbers
All indicators for Geel
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 | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.2% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 229 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.9% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 463 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 11.1% | – | 34.6% | ranked 532 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 20.8% | – | 15.3% | ranked 71 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 76.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 422 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 21,211 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 43 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.97 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 85 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 84.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 144 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 4,447 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 47 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 104.3 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 262 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,049 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 234 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,402 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 227 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 340,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 185 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 244,560 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 169 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.15 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 414 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 21.1% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 162 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Geel | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 10.9% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 128 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.3% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 329 of 551 |
Population of Geel over time
Geel had 39,225 residents in 2016 and 42,650 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 40,781 |
| 2022 | 41,146 |
| 2023 | 41,828 |
| 2024 | 42,331 |
| 2025 | 42,427 |
| 2026 | 42,650 |
Where is Geel?
Business sectors: Geel
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.6% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Construction13.9% ×1.0
- Other service activities6.5% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services6.4% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.7% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.1% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.1% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Geel
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Geel?
Geel has 42,650 residents (2026), ranking 46 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Geel?
Geel covers 110.2 km², with a density of 387 people per km².
Is the population of Geel growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Geel went from 39,225 to 42,650, a change of +8.7%.
Where is Geel?
Geel is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.161, longitude 4.990.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Geel?
In Geel, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 11.1% (2024), ranking 532 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Geel?
In Geel, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 4,447 (2024), ranking 47 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Geel?
In Geel, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,040 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Geel?
The nearest to Geel are Meerhout (6.9 km), Kasterlee (9.0 km), Mol (9.1 km), Laakdal (9.2 km), Olen (9.3 km).
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