Herselt: population and statistics
Herselt has a population of 14,777 (2026) across 52.4 km², or 282 people per km². It ranks 252 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 14,777 residents
- 52.4 km²
- 282 people/km²
- 19 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Herselt ranks No. 44 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 25.9% in Herselt, compared with an average of 21.0% in Antwerp and 20.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,048 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,335 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Westerlo (25,723 residents), 4.6 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,192 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Herselt in numbers
All indicators for Herselt
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 | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.9% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 36 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 18.6% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 531 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 10.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 535 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 16.4% | – | 15.3% | ranked 226 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 73.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 468 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 7,390 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 230 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.83 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 243 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 82.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 179 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,448 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 251 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 98.0 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 328 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,573 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 196 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,163 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 251 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 315,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 247 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 287,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 58 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.30 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 184 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 17.4% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 296 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Herselt | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.7% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 488 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.6% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 498 of 551 |
Population of Herselt over time
Herselt had 14,491 residents in 2016 and 14,777 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,649 |
| 2022 | 14,731 |
| 2023 | 14,805 |
| 2024 | 14,838 |
| 2025 | 14,829 |
| 2026 | 14,777 |
Where is Herselt?
Business sectors: Herselt
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.1% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical15.0% ×0.7
- Wholesale and retail trade13.9% ×0.9
- Other service activities8.8% ×1.3
- Manufacturing6.6% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services6.4% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.1% ×0.9
- Health and social work4.9% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Herselt
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Herselt?
Herselt has 14,777 residents (2026), ranking 252 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Herselt?
Herselt covers 52.4 km², with a density of 282 people per km².
Is the population of Herselt growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Herselt went from 14,491 to 14,777, a change of +2.0%.
Where is Herselt?
Herselt is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.054, longitude 4.883.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Herselt?
In Herselt, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 10.7% (2024), ranking 535 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Herselt?
In Herselt, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 25.9% (2026), ranking 36 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Herselt?
In Herselt, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,048 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Herselt?
The nearest to Herselt are Westerlo (4.6 km), Hulshout (7.0 km), Begijnendijk (7.9 km), Aarschot (8.5 km), Laakdal (10 km).
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