Merelbeke-Melle: population and statistics
Merelbeke-Melle has a population of 37,675 (2026) across 52.3 km², or 720 people per km². It ranks 58 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 37,675 residents
- 52.3 km²
- 720 people/km²
- 19 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Merelbeke-Melle ranks No. 9 by population.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: 28,924 € in Merelbeke-Melle, compared with an average of 25,350 € in East Flanders and 23,352 € nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 24.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,073 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Net taxable income per inhabitant”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,331 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Oosterzele, 5.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ghent (274,042 residents), 8.2 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,292 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Merelbeke-Melle in numbers
All indicators for Merelbeke-Melle
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 | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.7% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 277 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.3% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 302 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 23.4% | – | 34.6% | ranked 398 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 16.4% | – | 15.3% | ranked 226 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 83.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 104 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 17,082 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 71 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.74 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 247 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 77.5% | – | 76.7% | ranked 267 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 4,313 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 49 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 114.5 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 169 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 28,924 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 39 of 564 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 412,589 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 84 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 281,250 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 73 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.21 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 339 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.7% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 232 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Merelbeke-Melle | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 6.2% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 293 of 564 |
Population of Merelbeke-Melle over time
Merelbeke-Melle had 35,468 residents in 2016 and 37,675 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,561 |
| 2022 | 36,773 |
| 2023 | 37,160 |
| 2024 | 37,210 |
| 2025 | 37,369 |
| 2026 | 37,675 |
Where is Merelbeke-Melle?
Business sectors: Merelbeke-Melle
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical24.0% ×1.2
- Construction13.8% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade11.5% ×0.8
- Information and communication8.4% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services6.0% ×0.9
- Health and social work6.0% ×1.3
- Other service activities5.6% ×0.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.5% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Merelbeke-Melle
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Merelbeke-Melle?
Merelbeke-Melle has 37,675 residents (2026), ranking 58 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Merelbeke-Melle?
Merelbeke-Melle covers 52.3 km², with a density of 720 people per km².
Is the population of Merelbeke-Melle growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Merelbeke-Melle went from 35,468 to 37,675, a change of +6.2%.
Where is Merelbeke-Melle?
Merelbeke-Melle is in East Flanders. It belongs to Gent (arrondissement). Latitude 50.988, longitude 3.779.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: what is the figure for Merelbeke-Melle?
In Merelbeke-Melle, “Net taxable income per inhabitant” stands at 28,924 € (2023), ranking 39 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 24,247 €.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Merelbeke-Melle?
In Merelbeke-Melle, “Number of dwellings” stands at 17,082 (2024), ranking 71 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Merelbeke-Melle?
In Merelbeke-Melle, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,073 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Merelbeke-Melle?
The nearest to Merelbeke-Melle are Oosterzele (5.0 km), Laarne (6.9 km), Destelbergen (7.1 km), Wetteren (7.4 km), Ghent (8.2 km).