Stekene: population and statistics
Stekene has a population of 19,955 (2026) across 45.3 km², or 441 people per km². It ranks 174 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.6% between 2016 and 2026.
- 19,955 residents
- 45.3 km²
- 441 people/km²
- 10 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Stekene ranks No. 29 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 5.2% in Stekene, compared with an average of 7.7% in East Flanders and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,063 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East Flanders for “Population change over 10 years”.
- “Buildings built after 2001”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,339 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sint-Gillis-Waas, 6.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sint-Niklaas (83,400 residents), 8.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,252 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Stekene in numbers
All indicators for Stekene
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 | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.9% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 174 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.6% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 398 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 18.3% | – | 34.6% | ranked 471 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 23.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 17 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.0% | – | 79.9% | ranked 404 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 9,557 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 169 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 10.26 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 16 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 77.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 274 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,854 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 194 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 92.9 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 378 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,071 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 162 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,707 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 188 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 329,500 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 217 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 270,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 91 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.28 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 217 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.6% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 339 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Stekene | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 5.8% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 313 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.2% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 431 of 551 |
Population of Stekene over time
Stekene had 17,888 residents in 2016 and 19,955 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,863 |
| 2022 | 19,030 |
| 2023 | 19,273 |
| 2024 | 19,589 |
| 2025 | 19,767 |
| 2026 | 19,955 |
Where is Stekene?
Business sectors: Stekene
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.5% ×0.9
- Construction17.2% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade13.6% ×0.9
- Other service activities9.7% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×1.2
- Manufacturing5.8% ×1.2
- Information and communication4.9% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.5% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Stekene
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Stekene?
Stekene has 19,955 residents (2026), ranking 174 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Stekene?
Stekene covers 45.3 km², with a density of 441 people per km².
Is the population of Stekene growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Stekene went from 17,888 to 19,955, a change of +11.6%.
Where is Stekene?
Stekene is in East Flanders. It belongs to Sint-Niklaas (arrondissement). Latitude 51.206, longitude 4.040.
Buildings built after 2001: what is the figure for Stekene?
In Stekene, “Buildings built after 2001” stands at 23.2% (2024), ranking 17 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 15.3%.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Stekene?
In Stekene, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 5.2% (2023), ranking 431 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Stekene?
In Stekene, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,063 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Stekene?
The nearest to Stekene are Sint-Gillis-Waas (6.0 km), Sint-Niklaas (8.3 km), Waasmunster (11 km), Lokeren (12 km), Hamme (14 km).
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