Olen: population and statistics
Olen has a population of 12,945 (2026) across 23.1 km², or 560 people per km². It ranks 288 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 12,945 residents
- 23.1 km²
- 560 people/km²
- 24 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Olen ranks No. 49 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.4% in Olen, compared with an average of 9.8% in Antwerp and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 18.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,051 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,239 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Herentals (29,163 residents), 4.0 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,204 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Olen in numbers
All indicators for Olen
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 | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.6% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 199 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.7% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 393 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 12.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 520 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 19.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 108 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 83.1% | – | 79.9% | ranked 114 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 5,752 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 302 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 | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 85.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 121 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,279 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 295 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 98.8 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 319 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,696 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 183 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,275 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 133 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 347,500 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 172 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.26 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 258 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.6% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 339 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Olen | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.1% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 362 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.4% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 514 of 551 |
Population of Olen over time
Olen had 12,242 residents in 2016 and 12,945 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,600 |
| 2022 | 12,582 |
| 2023 | 12,689 |
| 2024 | 12,824 |
| 2025 | 12,915 |
| 2026 | 12,945 |
Where is Olen?
Business sectors: Olen
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical18.3% ×0.9
- Construction16.6% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade15.2% ×1.0
- Other service activities8.2% ×1.2
- Manufacturing7.3% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services5.9% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.8% ×1.1
- Information and communication4.8% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Olen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Olen?
Olen has 12,945 residents (2026), ranking 288 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Olen?
Olen covers 23.1 km², with a density of 560 people per km².
Is the population of Olen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Olen went from 12,242 to 12,945, a change of +5.7%.
Where is Olen?
Olen is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.144, longitude 4.860.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Olen?
In Olen, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.4% (2023), ranking 514 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Olen?
In Olen, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 12.7% (2024), ranking 520 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Olen?
In Olen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,051 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Olen?
The nearest to Olen are Herentals (4.0 km), Westerlo (7.2 km), Herenthout (7.4 km), Vorselaar (8.9 km), Hulshout (9.1 km).
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