Brussels: population and statistics
Brussels has a population of 198,674 (2026) across 33.1 km², or 6,004 people per km². It ranks 4 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 198,674 residents
- 33.1 km²
- 6,004 people/km²
- 34 m
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in Brussels-Capital, Brussels ranks No. 1 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 11.4% in Brussels, compared with an average of 13.4% in Brussels-Capital and 20.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 22.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,037 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Brussels-Capital for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Brussels-Capital for “Number of dwellings”.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,634 football pitches.
- Its population density is 15.5 times the national average.
Brussels in numbers
All indicators for Brussels
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 | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 11.4% | 13.4% | 21.7% | ranked 559 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 23.6% | 23.5% | 21.5% | ranked 75 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 68.9% | – | 34.6% | ranked 9 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 4.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 543 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 53.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 558 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 100,410 | 606,437 | 5,783,434 | ranked 5 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 2.84 ‰ inh. | 2.67 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 427 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 87.7% | – | 76.7% | ranked 78 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 22,638 | 122,725 | 1,170,010 | ranked 3 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 113.9 ‰ inh. | 97.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 174 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 16,683 € | 18,524 € | 24,247 € | ranked 557 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 23,574 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 544 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 430,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 63 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 270,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 91 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.42 | 0.54 | 1.25 | ranked 560 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 65.2% | 56.4% | 17.6% | ranked 5 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Brussels | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 38.7% | 36.7% | 6.4% | ranked 8 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 24.3% | 21.7% | 7.0% | ranked 7 of 551 |
Population of Brussels over time
Brussels had 178,552 residents in 2016 and 198,674 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 186,916 |
| 2022 | 188,737 |
| 2023 | 194,291 |
| 2024 | 196,828 |
| 2025 | 198,314 |
| 2026 | 198,674 |
Where is Brussels?
Business sectors: Brussels
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical22.3% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade15.3% ×1.0
- Construction11.8% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services8.7% ×1.6
- Information and communication7.9% ×1.4
- Other service activities6.4% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Transport and storage4.6% ×1.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Brussels
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Brussels?
Brussels has 198,674 residents (2026), ranking 4 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Brussels?
Brussels covers 33.1 km², with a density of 6,004 people per km².
Is the population of Brussels growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Brussels went from 178,552 to 198,674, a change of +11.3%.
Where is Brussels?
Brussels is in Brussels-Capital. It belongs to Bruxelles-Capitale (arrondissement). Latitude 50.847, longitude 4.352.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Brussels?
In Brussels, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 22,638 (2024), ranking 3 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Brussels?
In Brussels, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 11.4% (2026), ranking 559 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Brussels?
In Brussels, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,037 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Brussels?
The nearest to Brussels are Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (1.3 km), Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (1.3 km), Anderlecht (1.8 km), Ixelles (1.9 km), Koekelberg (2.1 km).
Coat of arms: S. Solberg J. and autors of source files, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Original: Eenjurg Vector: Rode raaf, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
