Ghent: population and statistics
Ghent has a population of 274,042 (2026) across 157.8 km², or 1,737 people per km². It ranks 2 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.6% between 2016 and 2026.
- 274,042 residents
- 157.8 km²
- 1,737 people/km²
- 15 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Ghent ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 27.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,050 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East Flanders for “Population”.
- Number 1 in East Flanders for “Population density”.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 22,097 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.5 times the national average.
Ghent in numbers
All indicators for Ghent
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 | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 16.7% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 527 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.4% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 416 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 51.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 93 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 9.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 472 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 79.1% | – | 79.9% | ranked 326 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 152,605 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 2 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.18 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 208 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 65.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 484 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 32,141 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 2 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 117.3 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 147 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,043 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 299 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,557 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 394 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 386,100 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 113 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 305,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 35 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.78 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 542 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 41.0% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 22 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Ghent | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 17.7% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 56 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 11.4% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 90 of 551 |
Population of Ghent over time
Ghent had 257,029 residents in 2016 and 274,042 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 263,703 |
| 2022 | 265,086 |
| 2023 | 268,122 |
| 2024 | 269,597 |
| 2025 | 272,657 |
| 2026 | 274,042 |
Where is Ghent?
Business sectors: Ghent
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical27.3% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade11.2% ×0.7
- Construction9.1% ×0.7
- Information and communication7.9% ×1.4
- Arts, entertainment and recreation7.2% ×1.8
- Accommodation and food services6.2% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.1% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Ghent
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ghent?
Ghent has 274,042 residents (2026), ranking 2 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Ghent?
Ghent covers 157.8 km², with a density of 1,737 people per km².
Is the population of Ghent growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Ghent went from 257,029 to 274,042, a change of +6.6%.
Where is Ghent?
Ghent is in East Flanders. It belongs to Gent (arrondissement). Latitude 51.054, longitude 3.725.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Ghent?
In Ghent, “Number of dwellings” stands at 152,605 (2024), ranking 2 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Ghent?
In Ghent, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 32,141 (2024), ranking 2 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ghent?
In Ghent, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,050 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ghent?
The nearest to Ghent are Destelbergen (5.2 km), Evergem (6.2 km), Sint-Martens-Latem (7.3 km), Merelbeke-Melle (8.2 km), Lochristi (8.8 km).
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