Lier: population and statistics
Lier has a population of 38,747 (2026) across 49.9 km², or 777 people per km². It ranks 56 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 38,747 residents
- 49.9 km²
- 777 people/km²
- 6 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Lier ranks No. 7 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 22.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,059 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,982 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.0 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Lint, 5.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mechelen (90,355 residents), 13 km away.
Lier in numbers
All indicators for Lier
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 | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.7% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 191 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.0% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 451 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 38.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 239 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 11.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 414 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.0% | – | 79.9% | ranked 404 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 18,992 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 55 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.15 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 210 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 88.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 62 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 3,892 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 55 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 100.4 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 306 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,578 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 194 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,105 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 348 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 330,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 206 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 265,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 112 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.02 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 506 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 27.0% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 58 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Lier | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.9% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 145 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 8.4% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 193 of 551 |
Population of Lier over time
Lier had 34,905 residents in 2016 and 38,747 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,923 |
| 2022 | 37,309 |
| 2023 | 37,909 |
| 2024 | 38,210 |
| 2025 | 38,517 |
| 2026 | 38,747 |
Where is Lier?
Business sectors: Lier
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical22.3% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.9% ×1.0
- Construction10.3% ×0.7
- Other service activities7.1% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.5% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.0% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.5% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Lier
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lier?
Lier has 38,747 residents (2026), ranking 56 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Lier?
Lier covers 49.9 km², with a density of 777 people per km².
Is the population of Lier growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lier went from 34,905 to 38,747, a change of +11.0%.
Where is Lier?
Lier is in Antwerp. It belongs to Mechelen (arrondissement). Latitude 51.131, longitude 4.570.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Lier?
In Lier, “Number of dwellings” stands at 18,992 (2024), ranking 55 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Lier?
In Lier, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 3,892 (2024), ranking 55 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lier?
In Lier, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,059 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lier?
The nearest to Lier are Lint (5.3 km), Duffel (5.9 km), Boechout (6.3 km), Berlaar (6.3 km), Ranst (6.5 km).
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