Schaerbeek: population and statistics
Schaerbeek has a population of 129,278 (2026) across 7.9 km², or 16,364 people per km². It ranks 7 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.5% between 2016 and 2026.
- 129,278 residents
- 7.9 km²
- 16,364 people/km²
- 36 m
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in Brussels-Capital, Schaerbeek ranks No. 3 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 10.8% in Schaerbeek, compared with an average of 13.4% in Brussels-Capital and 20.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 24.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,049 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Buildings built before 1946”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Net taxable income per inhabitant”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,106 football pitches.
- Its population density is 42.3 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, 1.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Brussels (198,674 residents), 2.8 km away.
Schaerbeek in numbers
All indicators for Schaerbeek
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 | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 10.8% | 13.4% | 21.7% | ranked 562 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 25.2% | 23.5% | 21.5% | ranked 29 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 87.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 3 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 1.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 562 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 64.6% | – | 79.9% | ranked 533 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 59,007 | 606,437 | 5,783,434 | ranked 8 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 0.88 ‰ inh. | 2.67 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 553 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 83.8% | – | 76.7% | ranked 147 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 9,261 | 122,725 | 1,170,010 | ranked 13 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 71.6 ‰ inh. | 97.7 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 493 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 16,246 € | 18,524 € | 24,247 € | ranked 558 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 23,444 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 545 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 468,750 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 40 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 266,125 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 109 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.50 | 0.54 | 1.25 | ranked 559 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 58.3% | 56.4% | 17.6% | ranked 6 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Schaerbeek | Brussels-Capital | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 37.9% | 36.7% | 6.4% | ranked 10 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 26.0% | 21.7% | 7.0% | ranked 5 of 551 |
Population of Schaerbeek over time
Schaerbeek had 132,590 residents in 2016 and 129,278 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 131,451 |
| 2022 | 130,690 |
| 2023 | 130,775 |
| 2024 | 130,405 |
| 2025 | 129,775 |
| 2026 | 129,278 |
Where is Schaerbeek?
Business sectors: Schaerbeek
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical24.5% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.9% ×1.0
- Construction12.5% ×0.9
- Information and communication8.6% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services6.5% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×1.2
- Transport and storage5.2% ×2.0
- Other service activities5.1% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Schaerbeek
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Schaerbeek?
Schaerbeek has 129,278 residents (2026), ranking 7 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Schaerbeek?
Schaerbeek covers 7.9 km², with a density of 16,364 people per km².
Is the population of Schaerbeek growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Schaerbeek went from 132,590 to 129,278, a change of −2.5%.
Where is Schaerbeek?
Schaerbeek is in Brussels-Capital. It belongs to Bruxelles-Capitale (arrondissement). Latitude 50.867, longitude 4.374.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Schaerbeek?
In Schaerbeek, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 10.8% (2026), ranking 562 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Schaerbeek?
In Schaerbeek, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 87.7% (2024), ranking 3 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Schaerbeek?
In Schaerbeek, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,049 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Schaerbeek?
The nearest to Schaerbeek are Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (1.9 km), Evere (2.1 km), Brussels (2.8 km), Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (2.8 km), Koekelberg (3.0 km).
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