Zottegem: population and statistics
Zottegem has a population of 28,343 (2026) across 57.5 km², or 493 people per km². It ranks 100 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 28,343 residents
- 57.5 km²
- 493 people/km²
- 68 m
Key points
Among the 55 municipalities in East Flanders, Zottegem ranks No. 16 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 20: 20.0% in Zottegem, compared with an average of 21.3% in East Flanders and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,074 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
Zottegem in numbers
All indicators for Zottegem
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 | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.7% | 21.2% | 21.7% | ranked 121 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.0% | 21.3% | 21.5% | ranked 451 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 27.8% | – | 34.6% | ranked 341 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.1% | – | 15.3% | ranked 204 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 81.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 202 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 13,730 | 769,888 | 5,783,434 | ranked 99 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.91 ‰ inh. | 5.37 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 231 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 76.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 286 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,680 | 171,424 | 1,170,010 | ranked 111 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 94.6 ‰ inh. | 106.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 357 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,888 € | 25,350 € | 24,247 € | ranked 106 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,459 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 114 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 315,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 247 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 220,037 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 214 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.12 | 1.12 | 1.25 | ranked 449 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 22.5% | 23.8% | 17.6% | ranked 125 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Zottegem | East Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 6.2% | 9.2% | 6.4% | ranked 293 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.4% | 7.7% | 7.0% | ranked 411 of 551 |
Population of Zottegem over time
Zottegem had 25,899 residents in 2016 and 28,343 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,921 |
| 2022 | 27,341 |
| 2023 | 27,677 |
| 2024 | 28,085 |
| 2025 | 28,236 |
| 2026 | 28,343 |
Where is Zottegem?
Business sectors: Zottegem
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.6% ×0.9
- Construction15.2% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.3% ×1.0
- Other service activities7.7% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.9% ×1.2
- Information and communication5.7% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Zottegem
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zottegem?
Zottegem has 28,343 residents (2026), ranking 100 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Zottegem?
Zottegem covers 57.5 km², with a density of 493 people per km².
Is the population of Zottegem growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Zottegem went from 25,899 to 28,343, a change of +9.4%.
Where is Zottegem?
Zottegem is in East Flanders. It belongs to Aalst (arrondissement). Latitude 50.867, longitude 3.817.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Zottegem?
In Zottegem, “Number of dwellings” stands at 13,730 (2024), ranking 99 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
Share of inhabitants under 20: what is the figure for Zottegem?
In Zottegem, “Share of inhabitants under 20” stands at 20.0% (2026), ranking 451 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Zottegem?
In Zottegem, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,074 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Zottegem?
The nearest to Zottegem are Herzele (5.0 km), Lierde (6.0 km), Zwalm (6.5 km), Sint-Lievens-Houtem (6.6 km), Brakel (8.5 km).
Coat of arms: Wikibelgiaan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: User:Phlegmatic, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
