Aalst: population and statistics
Aalst has a population of 93,094 (2026) across 78.7 km², or 1,184 people per km². It ranks 13 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 93,094 residents
- 78.7 km²
- 1,184 people/km²
- 17 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Aalst ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,067 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,017 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.1 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Haaltert, 5.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Brussels (198,674 residents), 24 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,268 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Aalst in numbers
All indicators for Aalst
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 | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 20.7% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 361 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 22.5% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 165 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 35.1% | – | 34.6% | ranked 276 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 11.1% | – | 15.3% | ranked 435 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 80.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 249 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 43,762 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 16 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 3.10 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 405 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 63.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 500 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 8,472 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 16 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 91.0 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 394 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,428 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 270 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,976 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 362 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 305,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 271 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 245,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 161 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.04 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 495 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 25.8% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 70 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Aalst | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 10.9% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 128 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 8.3% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 198 of 551 |
Population of Aalst over time
Aalst had 84,329 residents in 2016 and 93,094 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 87,978 |
| 2022 | 88,854 |
| 2023 | 90,068 |
| 2024 | 90,995 |
| 2025 | 92,131 |
| 2026 | 93,094 |
Where is Aalst?
Business sectors: Aalst
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.3% ×0.9
- Construction17.2% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade15.9% ×1.1
- Other service activities7.2% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.1% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.9% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.8% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Aalst
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Aalst?
Aalst has 93,094 residents (2026), ranking 13 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Aalst?
Aalst covers 78.7 km², with a density of 1,184 people per km².
Is the population of Aalst growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Aalst went from 84,329 to 93,094, a change of +10.4%.
Where is Aalst?
Aalst is in East Flanders. It belongs to Aalst (arrondissement). Latitude 50.938, longitude 4.039.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Aalst?
In Aalst, “Number of dwellings” stands at 43,762 (2024), ranking 16 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Aalst?
In Aalst, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 8,472 (2024), ranking 16 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Aalst?
In Aalst, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,067 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Aalst?
The nearest to Aalst are Haaltert (5.1 km), Erpe-Mere (5.1 km), Lede (5.3 km), Affligem (6.7 km), Denderleeuw (6.9 km).
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