Nijlen: population and statistics
Nijlen has a population of 23,881 (2026) across 39.2 km², or 609 people per km². It ranks 132 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 23,881 residents
- 39.2 km²
- 609 people/km²
- 7 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Nijlen ranks No. 18 by population.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: 3.7% in Nijlen, compared with an average of 13.7% in Antwerp and 13.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,044 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of houses in the building stock”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,490 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Berlaar, 4.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Lier (38,747 residents), 7.8 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,176 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Nijlen in numbers
All indicators for Nijlen
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 | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.0% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 166 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.4% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 416 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 17.4% | – | 34.6% | ranked 483 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 181 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 85.8% | – | 79.9% | ranked 38 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 10,683 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 141 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.17 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 209 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 88.5% | – | 76.7% | ranked 65 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,487 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 122 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 104.1 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 264 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,082 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 161 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,070 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 152 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 369,500 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 134 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 277,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 79 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.27 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 241 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 15.7% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 395 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Nijlen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.7% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 488 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.5% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 403 of 551 |
Population of Nijlen over time
Nijlen had 22,651 residents in 2016 and 23,881 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,985 |
| 2022 | 23,259 |
| 2023 | 23,409 |
| 2024 | 23,707 |
| 2025 | 23,747 |
| 2026 | 23,881 |
Where is Nijlen?
Business sectors: Nijlen
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.5% ×1.0
- Construction16.7% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade12.7% ×0.9
- Other service activities8.1% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.1% ×1.1
- Manufacturing5.1% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.9% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Nijlen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nijlen?
Nijlen has 23,881 residents (2026), ranking 132 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Nijlen?
Nijlen covers 39.2 km², with a density of 609 people per km².
Is the population of Nijlen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Nijlen went from 22,651 to 23,881, a change of +5.4%.
Where is Nijlen?
Nijlen is in Antwerp. It belongs to Mechelen (arrondissement). Latitude 51.161, longitude 4.670.
Share of houses in the building stock: what is the figure for Nijlen?
In Nijlen, “Share of houses in the building stock” stands at 85.8% (2024), ranking 38 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 79.9%.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: what is the figure for Nijlen?
In Nijlen, “Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality” stands at 3.7% (2026), ranking 488 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 6.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nijlen?
In Nijlen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,044 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nijlen?
The nearest to Nijlen are Berlaar (4.9 km), Grobbendonk (5.9 km), Zandhoven (5.9 km), Herenthout (6.4 km), Lier (7.8 km).
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