Lille: population and statistics
Lille has a population of 17,175 (2026) across 59.6 km², or 288 people per km². It ranks 213 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 17,175 residents
- 59.6 km²
- 288 people/km²
- 17 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Lille ranks No. 36 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.8% in Lille, compared with an average of 9.8% in Antwerp and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 20.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,036 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,350 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Vorselaar, 5.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Herentals (29,163 residents), 6.9 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,144 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Lille in numbers
All indicators for Lille
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 | Lille | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.4% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 143 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.8% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 469 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lille | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 9.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 545 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 19.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 107 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 71.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 486 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 8,329 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 205 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.24 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 125 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lille | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 83.8% | – | 76.7% | ranked 147 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lille | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,860 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 192 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 108.3 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 231 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,641 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 188 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,894 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 168 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 357,250 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 157 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 277,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 80 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lille | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.28 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 217 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 15.6% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 403 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Lille | 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) | 4.8% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 469 of 551 |
Population of Lille over time
Lille had 16,404 residents in 2016 and 17,175 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,517 |
| 2022 | 16,688 |
| 2023 | 16,871 |
| 2024 | 17,026 |
| 2025 | 17,130 |
| 2026 | 17,175 |
Where is Lille?
Business sectors: Lille
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction20.2% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical17.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Other service activities6.8% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services4.7% ×0.9
- Health and social work4.5% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Lille
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lille?
Lille has 17,175 residents (2026), ranking 213 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Lille?
Lille covers 59.6 km², with a density of 288 people per km².
Is the population of Lille growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lille went from 16,404 to 17,175, a change of +4.7%.
Where is Lille?
Lille is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.238, longitude 4.824.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Lille?
In Lille, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 9.5% (2024), ranking 545 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Lille?
In Lille, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.8% (2023), ranking 469 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lille?
In Lille, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,036 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lille?
The nearest to Lille are Vorselaar (5.5 km), Herentals (6.9 km), Grobbendonk (7.9 km), Zoersel (8.5 km), Vosselaar (8.9 km).
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