Maldegem: population and statistics
Maldegem has a population of 24,927 (2026) across 95.6 km², or 261 people per km². It ranks 124 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 24,927 residents
- 95.6 km²
- 261 people/km²
- 9 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Maldegem ranks No. 21 by population.
VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 136.1 ‰ inh. in Maldegem, compared with an average of 106.4 ‰ inh. in East Flanders and 98.6 ‰ inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 20.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,080 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built after 2001”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 13,394 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sint-Laureins, 6.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Bruges (120,458 residents), 15 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,320 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Maldegem in numbers
All indicators for Maldegem
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 | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.4% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 143 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.3% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 504 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 22.0% | – | 34.6% | ranked 423 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 22.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 30 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 81.5% | – | 79.9% | ranked 186 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 11,747 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 125 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.49 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 179 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 71.9% | – | 76.7% | ranked 384 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 3,393 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 77 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 136.1 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 46 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,445 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 268 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,125 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 253 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 335,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 193 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 237,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 182 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.23 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 310 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.0% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 260 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Maldegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.7% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 317 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.3% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 424 of 551 |
Population of Maldegem over time
Maldegem had 23,452 residents in 2016 and 24,927 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,114 |
| 2022 | 24,409 |
| 2023 | 24,615 |
| 2024 | 24,744 |
| 2025 | 24,883 |
| 2026 | 24,927 |
Where is Maldegem?
Business sectors: Maldegem
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction20.6% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.9% ×0.6
- Other service activities7.8% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.7% ×1.8
- Manufacturing7.6% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services4.7% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Maldegem
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Maldegem?
Maldegem has 24,927 residents (2026), ranking 124 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Maldegem?
Maldegem covers 95.6 km², with a density of 261 people per km².
Is the population of Maldegem growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Maldegem went from 23,452 to 24,927, a change of +6.3%.
Where is Maldegem?
Maldegem is in East Flanders. It belongs to Eeklo (arrondissement). Latitude 51.209, longitude 3.446.
Buildings built after 2001: what is the figure for Maldegem?
In Maldegem, “Buildings built after 2001” stands at 22.2% (2024), ranking 30 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 15.3%.
VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Maldegem?
In Maldegem, “VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 136.1 ‰ inh. (2024), ranking 46 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 102.2 ‰ inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Maldegem?
In Maldegem, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,080 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Maldegem?
The nearest to Maldegem are Sint-Laureins (6.6 km), Eeklo (8.6 km), Beernem (10 km), Kaprijke (11 km), Damme (12 km).
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