Wichelen: population and statistics
Wichelen has a population of 12,171 (2026) across 23.2 km², or 525 people per km². It ranks 305 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 12,171 residents
- 23.2 km²
- 525 people/km²
- 7 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Wichelen ranks No. 44 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.6% in Wichelen, 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 1,068 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,249 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Berlare, 3.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Lede (19,528 residents), 4.3 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,272 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Wichelen in numbers
All indicators for Wichelen
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 | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.1% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 235 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.1% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 445 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 22.2% | – | 34.6% | ranked 422 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 15.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 264 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 83.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 84 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 5,697 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 304 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.42 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 186 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 71.7% | – | 76.7% | ranked 387 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,192 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 315 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.9 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 329 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,187 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 151 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,485 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 111 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 310,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 257 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 215,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 230 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.25 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 276 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 16.8% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 328 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Wichelen | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.8% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 475 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.6% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 498 of 551 |
Population of Wichelen over time
Wichelen had 11,501 residents in 2016 and 12,171 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,690 |
| 2022 | 11,765 |
| 2023 | 11,960 |
| 2024 | 12,032 |
| 2025 | 12,050 |
| 2026 | 12,171 |
Where is Wichelen?
Business sectors: Wichelen
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
- Construction17.3% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade14.7% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.9% ×1.2
- Other service activities6.6% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.7% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.3% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Wichelen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wichelen?
Wichelen has 12,171 residents (2026), ranking 305 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Wichelen?
Wichelen covers 23.2 km², with a density of 525 people per km².
Is the population of Wichelen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Wichelen went from 11,501 to 12,171, a change of +5.8%.
Where is Wichelen?
Wichelen is in East Flanders. It belongs to Dendermonde (arrondissement). Latitude 51.004, longitude 3.973.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Wichelen?
In Wichelen, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.6% (2023), ranking 498 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Share of houses in the building stock: what is the figure for Wichelen?
In Wichelen, “Share of houses in the building stock” stands at 83.9% (2024), ranking 84 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 79.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Wichelen?
In Wichelen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,068 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Wichelen?
The nearest to Wichelen are Berlare (3.1 km), Lede (4.3 km), Wetteren (6.3 km), Erpe-Mere (7.9 km), Zele (8.1 km).
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