Laakdal: population and statistics
Laakdal has a population of 17,032 (2026) across 42.4 km², or 401 people per km². It ranks 216 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.5% between 2016 and 2026.
- 17,032 residents
- 42.4 km²
- 401 people/km²
- 19 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Laakdal ranks No. 37 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 3.7% in Laakdal, compared with an average of 9.8% in Antwerp and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,050 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,943 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Meerhout, 6.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tessenderlo-Ham (30,827 residents), 7.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,200 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Laakdal in numbers
All indicators for Laakdal
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 | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.6% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 130 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.6% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 480 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 8.8% | – | 34.6% | ranked 551 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 19.1% | – | 15.3% | ranked 122 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.5% | – | 79.9% | ranked 144 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 7,975 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 218 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.85 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 146 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 84.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 141 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,443 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 252 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 84.7 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 428 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,338 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 213 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,092 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 150 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 310,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 257 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 242,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 172 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.32 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 147 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 14.1% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 493 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Laakdal | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.0% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 368 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 3.7% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 544 of 551 |
Population of Laakdal over time
Laakdal had 15,851 residents in 2016 and 17,032 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,293 |
| 2022 | 16,464 |
| 2023 | 16,707 |
| 2024 | 16,753 |
| 2025 | 16,935 |
| 2026 | 17,032 |
Where is Laakdal?
Business sectors: Laakdal
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction16.8% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade15.1% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical15.0% ×0.7
- Other service activities9.6% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×0.9
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services5.6% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.2% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Laakdal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Laakdal?
Laakdal has 17,032 residents (2026), ranking 216 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Laakdal?
Laakdal covers 42.4 km², with a density of 401 people per km².
Is the population of Laakdal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Laakdal went from 15,851 to 17,032, a change of +7.5%.
Where is Laakdal?
Laakdal is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.081, longitude 5.020.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Laakdal?
In Laakdal, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 3.7% (2023), ranking 544 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Laakdal?
In Laakdal, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 8.8% (2024), ranking 551 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Laakdal?
In Laakdal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,050 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Laakdal?
The nearest to Laakdal are Meerhout (6.9 km), Tessenderlo-Ham (7.3 km), Westerlo (7.4 km), Geel (9.2 km), Herselt (10 km).
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