Sint-Niklaas: population and statistics
Sint-Niklaas has a population of 83,400 (2026) across 84.2 km², or 990 people per km². It ranks 19 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 83,400 residents
- 84.2 km²
- 990 people/km²
- 19 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Sint-Niklaas ranks No. 4 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,061 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,793 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Sint-Gillis-Waas, 6.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Antwerp (565,615 residents), 19 km away.
Sint-Niklaas in numbers
All indicators for Sint-Niklaas
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 | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 20.0% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 419 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 24.8% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 35 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 30.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 317 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 14.1% | – | 15.3% | ranked 337 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.6% | – | 79.9% | ranked 380 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 37,321 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 24 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 3.53 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 368 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 69.8% | – | 76.7% | ranked 418 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 7,199 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 19 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 86.3 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 419 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 22,383 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 403 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 28,351 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 453 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 320,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 232 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 220,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 215 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.01 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 511 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 27.6% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 55 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Sint-Niklaas | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 13.3% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 93 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 11.5% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 88 of 551 |
Population of Sint-Niklaas over time
Sint-Niklaas had 75,208 residents in 2016 and 83,400 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 79,357 |
| 2022 | 80,167 |
| 2023 | 81,138 |
| 2024 | 81,863 |
| 2025 | 82,661 |
| 2026 | 83,400 |
Where is Sint-Niklaas?
Business sectors: Sint-Niklaas
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.4% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade17.1% ×1.1
- Construction14.0% ×1.0
- Other service activities7.2% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×0.9
- Information and communication5.3% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services5.1% ×0.9
- Health and social work4.8% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Sint-Niklaas
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sint-Niklaas?
Sint-Niklaas has 83,400 residents (2026), ranking 19 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Sint-Niklaas?
Sint-Niklaas covers 84.2 km², with a density of 990 people per km².
Is the population of Sint-Niklaas growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Sint-Niklaas went from 75,208 to 83,400, a change of +10.9%.
Where is Sint-Niklaas?
Sint-Niklaas is in East Flanders. It belongs to Sint-Niklaas (arrondissement). Latitude 51.164, longitude 4.139.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Sint-Niklaas?
In Sint-Niklaas, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 7,199 (2024), ranking 19 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Sint-Niklaas?
In Sint-Niklaas, “Number of dwellings” stands at 37,321 (2024), ranking 24 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sint-Niklaas?
In Sint-Niklaas, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,061 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sint-Niklaas?
The nearest to Sint-Niklaas are Sint-Gillis-Waas (6.1 km), Temse (6.7 km), Waasmunster (7.2 km), Hamme (8.1 km), Stekene (8.3 km).
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