Lede: population and statistics
Lede has a population of 19,528 (2026) across 29.9 km², or 653 people per km². It ranks 183 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 19,528 residents
- 29.9 km²
- 653 people/km²
- 31 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Lede ranks No. 31 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 5.0% in Lede, compared with an average of 7.7% in East Flanders and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 18.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,072 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of houses in the building stock”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,186 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Erpe-Mere, 3.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Aalst (93,094 residents), 5.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,288 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Lede in numbers
All indicators for Lede
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 | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.0% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 166 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.5% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 407 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 25.0% | – | 34.6% | ranked 375 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.4% | – | 15.3% | ranked 191 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 84.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 59 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 9,095 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 179 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.98 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 220 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 67.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 448 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,757 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 205 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 90.0 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 397 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,447 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 130 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,381 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 121 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 310,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 257 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 252,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 143 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.21 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 339 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.0% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 260 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Lede | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 4.2% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 436 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.0% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 450 of 551 |
Population of Lede over time
Lede had 18,399 residents in 2016 and 19,528 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,980 |
| 2022 | 19,054 |
| 2023 | 19,160 |
| 2024 | 19,310 |
| 2025 | 19,425 |
| 2026 | 19,528 |
Where is Lede?
Business sectors: Lede
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical18.0% ×0.9
- Construction16.5% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade12.9% ×0.9
- Other service activities8.3% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.7% ×1.2
- Manufacturing5.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.6% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Lede
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lede?
Lede has 19,528 residents (2026), ranking 183 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Lede?
Lede covers 29.9 km², with a density of 653 people per km².
Is the population of Lede growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Lede went from 18,399 to 19,528, a change of +6.1%.
Where is Lede?
Lede is in East Flanders. It belongs to Aalst (arrondissement). Latitude 50.966, longitude 3.978.
Share of houses in the building stock: what is the figure for Lede?
In Lede, “Share of houses in the building stock” stands at 84.9% (2024), ranking 59 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 79.9%.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Lede?
In Lede, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 5.0% (2023), ranking 450 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lede?
In Lede, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,072 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lede?
The nearest to Lede are Erpe-Mere (3.7 km), Wichelen (4.3 km), Aalst (5.3 km), Berlare (6.8 km), Haaltert (7.5 km).
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