Mechelen: population and statistics
Mechelen has a population of 90,355 (2026) across 65.8 km², or 1,373 people per km². It ranks 15 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 90,355 residents
- 65.8 km²
- 1,373 people/km²
- 8 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Mechelen ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 24.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,058 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 9,214 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Bonheiden, 4.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Brussels (198,674 residents), 22 km away.
Mechelen in numbers
All indicators for Mechelen
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 | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 18.3% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 497 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 23.3% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 91 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 43.9% | – | 34.6% | ranked 176 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 8.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 489 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 76.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 419 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 42,299 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 17 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.41 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 280 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 82.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 176 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 8,784 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 15 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.2 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 332 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,688 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 255 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,566 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 303 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 364,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 141 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 275,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 82 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.95 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 527 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 31.7% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 33 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Mechelen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 12.9% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 97 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 9.6% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 142 of 551 |
Population of Mechelen over time
Mechelen had 84,523 residents in 2016 and 90,355 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 86,911 |
| 2022 | 86,996 |
| 2023 | 88,614 |
| 2024 | 89,313 |
| 2025 | 89,655 |
| 2026 | 90,355 |
Where is Mechelen?
Business sectors: Mechelen
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical24.7% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade13.8% ×0.9
- Information and communication10.6% ×1.9
- Construction8.6% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.8% ×1.1
- Other service activities5.7% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.5% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Mechelen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mechelen?
Mechelen has 90,355 residents (2026), ranking 15 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Mechelen?
Mechelen covers 65.8 km², with a density of 1,373 people per km².
Is the population of Mechelen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Mechelen went from 84,523 to 90,355, a change of +6.9%.
Where is Mechelen?
Mechelen is in Antwerp. It belongs to Mechelen (arrondissement). Latitude 51.028, longitude 4.480.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Mechelen?
In Mechelen, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 8,784 (2024), ranking 15 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Mechelen?
In Mechelen, “Number of dwellings” stands at 42,299 (2024), ranking 17 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Mechelen?
In Mechelen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,058 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Mechelen?
The nearest to Mechelen are Bonheiden (4.8 km), Zemst (5.2 km), Sint-Katelijne-Waver (5.7 km), Rumst (6.7 km), Duffel (7.7 km).
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