Meerhout: population and statistics
Meerhout has a population of 10,365 (2026) across 36.5 km², or 284 people per km². It ranks 355 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 10,365 residents
- 36.5 km²
- 284 people/km²
- 31 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Meerhout ranks No. 59 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 20: 19.7% in Meerhout, compared with an average of 22.1% in Antwerp and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 15.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,045 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,118 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mol (38,793 residents), 6.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,180 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Meerhout in numbers
All indicators for Meerhout
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 | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.1% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 101 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.7% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 474 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 14.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 510 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.9% | – | 15.3% | ranked 130 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 81.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 202 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 4,801 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 351 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.57 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 265 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 78.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 244 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,006 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 355 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.1 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 335 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,956 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 239 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,447 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 218 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 280,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 341 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.24 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 291 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.6% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 339 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Meerhout | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.8% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 313 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.0% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 450 of 551 |
Population of Meerhout over time
Meerhout had 10,162 residents in 2016 and 10,365 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,279 |
| 2022 | 10,258 |
| 2023 | 10,348 |
| 2024 | 10,396 |
| 2025 | 10,377 |
| 2026 | 10,365 |
Where is Meerhout?
Business sectors: Meerhout
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical15.5% ×0.8
- Construction14.5% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.5% ×1.0
- Other service activities8.6% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services6.5% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.1% ×1.5
- Information and communication5.7% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Meerhout
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Meerhout?
Meerhout has 10,365 residents (2026), ranking 355 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Meerhout?
Meerhout covers 36.5 km², with a density of 284 people per km².
Is the population of Meerhout growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Meerhout went from 10,162 to 10,365, a change of +2.0%.
Where is Meerhout?
Meerhout is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.132, longitude 5.077.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Meerhout?
In Meerhout, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 14.5% (2024), ranking 510 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Share of inhabitants under 20: what is the figure for Meerhout?
In Meerhout, “Share of inhabitants under 20” stands at 19.7% (2026), ranking 474 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Meerhout?
In Meerhout, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,045 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Meerhout?
The nearest to Meerhout are Mol (6.4 km), Tessenderlo-Ham (6.8 km), Geel (6.9 km), Laakdal (6.9 km), Balen (7.8 km).
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