Laarne: population and statistics
Laarne has a population of 12,525 (2026) across 32.6 km², or 384 people per km². It ranks 300 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is stable: +0.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 12,525 residents
- 32.6 km²
- 384 people/km²
- 10 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Laarne ranks No. 43 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.4% in Laarne, compared with an average of 7.7% in East Flanders and 11.0% nationally.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: 28,252 € in Laarne, compared with an average of 25,350 € in East Flanders and 23,352 € nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,070 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Net taxable income per inhabitant”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,563 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Wetteren (27,071 residents), 3.9 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,280 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Laarne in numbers
All indicators for Laarne
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 | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.7% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 70 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.3% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 426 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 23.2% | – | 34.6% | ranked 406 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.9% | – | 15.3% | ranked 130 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 84.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 72 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 5,988 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 286 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.84 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 240 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 76.7% | – | 76.7% | ranked 281 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,507 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 245 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 126 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 28,252 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 57 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 33,114 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 66 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 370,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 130 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.31 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 167 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 15.3% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 424 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Laarne | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.3% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 512 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.4% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 514 of 551 |
Population of Laarne over time
Laarne had 12,515 residents in 2016 and 12,525 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,371 |
| 2022 | 12,518 |
| 2023 | 12,528 |
| 2024 | 12,532 |
| 2025 | 12,496 |
| 2026 | 12,525 |
Where is Laarne?
Business sectors: Laarne
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.5% ×1.0
- Construction17.0% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.6% ×1.0
- Other service activities7.0% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.4% ×1.3
- Information and communication5.2% ×0.9
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Laarne
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Laarne?
Laarne has 12,525 residents (2026), ranking 300 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Laarne?
Laarne covers 32.6 km², with a density of 384 people per km².
Is the population of Laarne growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Laarne went from 12,515 to 12,525, a change of +0.1%.
Where is Laarne?
Laarne is in East Flanders. It belongs to Dendermonde (arrondissement). Latitude 51.029, longitude 3.852.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Laarne?
In Laarne, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.4% (2023), ranking 514 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: what is the figure for Laarne?
In Laarne, “Net taxable income per inhabitant” stands at 28,252 € (2023), ranking 57 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 24,247 €.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Laarne?
In Laarne, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,070 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Laarne?
The nearest to Laarne are Wetteren (3.9 km), Destelbergen (4.3 km), Merelbeke-Melle (6.9 km), Lochristi (7.5 km), Wichelen (8.9 km).
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