Wetteren: population and statistics
Wetteren has a population of 27,071 (2026) across 37.0 km², or 731 people per km². It ranks 107 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 27,071 residents
- 37.0 km²
- 731 people/km²
- 17 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Wetteren ranks No. 19 by population.
Cars per household: 1.10 in Wetteren, compared with an average of 1.12 in East Flanders and 1.07 nationally.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: 6.73 ‰ inh. in Wetteren, compared with an average of 5.37 ‰ inh. in East Flanders and 4.28 ‰ inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,075 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
Wetteren in numbers
All indicators for Wetteren
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 | Wetteren | 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) | 21.0% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 346 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wetteren | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 32.4% | – | 34.6% | ranked 305 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 16.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 213 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 79.5% | – | 79.9% | ranked 306 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 13,118 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 106 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.73 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 103 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wetteren | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 68.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 438 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wetteren | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,539 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 116 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 93.8 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 368 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,816 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 247 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,649 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 297 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 295,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 304 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 265,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 110 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wetteren | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.10 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 468 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 23.3% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 109 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Wetteren | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.5% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 156 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 7.0% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 272 of 551 |
Population of Wetteren over time
Wetteren had 24,818 residents in 2016 and 27,071 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,206 |
| 2022 | 26,444 |
| 2023 | 26,748 |
| 2024 | 26,960 |
| 2025 | 26,926 |
| 2026 | 27,071 |
Where is Wetteren?
Business sectors: Wetteren
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.4% ×0.9
- Construction15.4% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade15.1% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.2% ×1.1
- Other service activities7.0% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.4% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Wetteren
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wetteren?
Wetteren has 27,071 residents (2026), ranking 107 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Wetteren?
Wetteren covers 37.0 km², with a density of 731 people per km².
Is the population of Wetteren growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Wetteren went from 24,818 to 27,071, a change of +9.1%.
Where is Wetteren?
Wetteren is in East Flanders. It belongs to Dendermonde (arrondissement). Latitude 51.000, longitude 3.883.
Cars per household: what is the figure for Wetteren?
In Wetteren, “Cars per household” stands at 1.10 (2025), ranking 468 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 1.25.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Wetteren?
In Wetteren, “New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 6.73 ‰ inh. (2021-2025), ranking 103 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 4.39 ‰ inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Wetteren?
In Wetteren, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,075 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Wetteren?
The nearest to Wetteren are Laarne (3.9 km), Wichelen (6.3 km), Merelbeke-Melle (7.4 km), Lede (7.6 km), Destelbergen (8.1 km).
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