Westerlo: population and statistics
Westerlo has a population of 25,723 (2026) across 55.5 km², or 464 people per km². It ranks 120 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 25,723 residents
- 55.5 km²
- 464 people/km²
- 16 m
Key points
Among the 67 municipalities in Antwerp, Westerlo ranks No. 16 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.5% in Westerlo, compared with an average of 9.8% in Antwerp and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,046 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,766 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Herselt, 4.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Geel (42,650 residents), 9.5 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,184 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Westerlo in numbers
All indicators for Westerlo
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 | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.8% | 21.0% | 21.7% | ranked 66 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.2% | 22.1% | 21.5% | ranked 512 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 9.2% | – | 34.6% | ranked 547 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) | 11,689 | 912,062 | 5,783,434 | ranked 126 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 3.80 ‰ inh. | 4.60 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 338 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 95 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,511 | 202,193 | 1,170,010 | ranked 118 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.6 ‰ inh. | 104.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 331 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,521 € | 24,329 € | 24,247 € | ranked 202 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,617 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 196 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 335,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 193 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 274,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 87 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.29 | 1.06 | 1.25 | ranked 198 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.1% | 26.8% | 17.6% | ranked 367 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Westerlo | Antwerp | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.2% | 13.7% | 6.4% | ranked 353 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.5% | 9.8% | 7.0% | ranked 508 of 551 |
Population of Westerlo over time
Westerlo had 24,705 residents in 2016 and 25,723 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 25,288 |
| 2022 | 25,308 |
| 2023 | 25,466 |
| 2024 | 25,625 |
| 2025 | 25,691 |
| 2026 | 25,723 |
Where is Westerlo?
Business sectors: Westerlo
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.2% ×1.0
- Construction15.7% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade13.9% ×0.9
- Other service activities8.6% ×1.3
- Manufacturing5.8% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.1% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services5.1% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Westerlo
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Westerlo?
Westerlo has 25,723 residents (2026), ranking 120 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Westerlo?
Westerlo covers 55.5 km², with a density of 464 people per km².
Is the population of Westerlo growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Westerlo went from 24,705 to 25,723, a change of +4.1%.
Where is Westerlo?
Westerlo is in Antwerp. It belongs to Turnhout (arrondissement). Latitude 51.090, longitude 4.915.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Westerlo?
In Westerlo, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 9.2% (2024), ranking 547 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Westerlo?
In Westerlo, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.5% (2023), ranking 508 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Westerlo?
In Westerlo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,046 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Westerlo?
The nearest to Westerlo are Herselt (4.6 km), Olen (7.2 km), Laakdal (7.4 km), Hulshout (9.0 km), Geel (9.5 km).
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