Merksplas: population and statistics
Merksplas has a population of 8,974 (2026) across 44.6 km², or 201 people per km². It ranks 386 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 8,974 residents
- 44.6 km²
- 201 people/km²
- 27 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Merksplas ranks No. 62 by population.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: 12.8% in Merksplas, compared with an average of 13.7% in Antwerp and 13.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.0% 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 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,246 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Beerse (18,780 residents), 4.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,144 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Merksplas in numbers
All indicators for Merksplas
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 | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.1% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 159 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.3% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 426 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 15.1% | – | 34.6% | ranked 507 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 149 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 73.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 467 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 4,287 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 381 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.89 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 91 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.4% | – | 76.7% | ranked 102 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,027 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 350 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 114.4 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 170 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,309 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 278 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,708 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 187 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 344,500 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 180 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.28 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 217 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 15.5% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 410 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Merksplas | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 12.8% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 98 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.2% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 431 of 551 |
Population of Merksplas over time
Merksplas had 8,642 residents in 2016 and 8,974 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,616 |
| 2022 | 8,683 |
| 2023 | 8,799 |
| 2024 | 8,883 |
| 2025 | 8,921 |
| 2026 | 8,974 |
Where is Merksplas?
Business sectors: Merksplas
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.0% ×1.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.1% ×3.8
- Professional, scientific and technical14.8% ×0.7
- Wholesale and retail trade12.7% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Other service activities5.3% ×0.8
- Manufacturing5.2% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.0% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Merksplas
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Merksplas?
Merksplas has 8,974 residents (2026), ranking 386 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Merksplas?
Merksplas covers 44.6 km², with a density of 201 people per km².
Is the population of Merksplas growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Merksplas went from 8,642 to 8,974, a change of +3.8%.
Where is Merksplas?
Merksplas is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.358, longitude 4.863.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Merksplas?
In Merksplas, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 15.1% (2024), ranking 507 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: what is the figure for Merksplas?
In Merksplas, “Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality” stands at 12.8% (2026), ranking 98 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 6.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Merksplas?
In Merksplas, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,036 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Merksplas?
The nearest to Merksplas are Beerse (4.3 km), Vosselaar (5.8 km), Turnhout (6.7 km), Rijkevorsel (7.2 km), Hoogstraten (8.5 km).
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