Herzele: population and statistics
Herzele has a population of 19,291 (2026) across 47.9 km², or 403 people per km². It ranks 184 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 19,291 residents
- 47.9 km²
- 403 people/km²
- 66 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Herzele ranks No. 32 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.3% in Herzele, compared with an average of 7.7% in East Flanders and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,075 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,709 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sint-Lievens-Houtem, 3.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ninove (40,879 residents), 11 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,300 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Herzele in numbers
All indicators for Herzele
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 | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.3% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 316 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.9% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 363 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 26.3% | – | 34.6% | ranked 355 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 181 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 84.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 72 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 8,796 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 188 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.65 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 105 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 77.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 270 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,851 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 195 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 96.0 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 348 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,394 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 137 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,555 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 101 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 306,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 269 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 239,669 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 178 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.24 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 291 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 17.7% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 273 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Herzele | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.9% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 462 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.3% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 521 of 551 |
Population of Herzele over time
Herzele had 17,550 residents in 2016 and 19,291 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,414 |
| 2022 | 18,489 |
| 2023 | 18,715 |
| 2024 | 18,928 |
| 2025 | 19,179 |
| 2026 | 19,291 |
Where is Herzele?
Business sectors: Herzele
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.6% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical15.5% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Other service activities8.0% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.1% ×1.4
- Information and communication5.7% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Herzele
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Herzele?
Herzele has 19,291 residents (2026), ranking 184 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Herzele?
Herzele covers 47.9 km², with a density of 403 people per km².
Is the population of Herzele growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Herzele went from 17,550 to 19,291, a change of +9.9%.
Where is Herzele?
Herzele is in East Flanders. It belongs to Aalst (arrondissement). Latitude 50.883, longitude 3.883.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Herzele?
In Herzele, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.3% (2023), ranking 521 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Share of houses in the building stock: what is the figure for Herzele?
In Herzele, “Share of houses in the building stock” stands at 84.4% (2024), ranking 72 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 79.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Herzele?
In Herzele, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,075 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Herzele?
The nearest to Herzele are Sint-Lievens-Houtem (3.9 km), Zottegem (5.0 km), Lierde (7.8 km), Erpe-Mere (8.1 km), Haaltert (8.4 km).
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