Diest: population and statistics
Diest has a population of 25,196 (2026) across 58.7 km², or 429 people per km². It ranks 123 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 25,196 residents
- 58.7 km²
- 429 people/km²
- 28 m
Key points
Among the 63 municipalities in Flemish Brabant, Diest ranks No. 14 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 20: 19.2% in Diest, compared with an average of 22.6% in Flemish Brabant and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 19.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,070 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,224 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, 5.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Beringen (49,034 residents), 13 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,280 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Diest in numbers
All indicators for Diest
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 | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.0% | 20.8% | 21.7% | ranked 58 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.2% | 22.6% | 21.5% | ranked 512 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 21.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 429 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 14.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 311 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 80.1% | – | 79.9% | ranked 267 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 12,264 | 542,504 | 5,783,434 | ranked 116 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.56 ‰ inh. | 4.02 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 172 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 85.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 123 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,579 | 130,833 | 1,170,010 | ranked 115 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 102.4 ‰ inh. | 108.1 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 281 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,940 € | 26,927 € | 24,247 € | ranked 167 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,968 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 265 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 285,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 323 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 245,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 161 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.16 | 1.20 | 1.25 | ranked 402 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 21.5% | 21.3% | 17.6% | ranked 145 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Diest | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 7.2% | 11.9% | 6.4% | ranked 237 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 262 of 551 |
Population of Diest over time
Diest had 23,538 residents in 2016 and 25,196 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,370 |
| 2022 | 24,516 |
| 2023 | 24,677 |
| 2024 | 24,971 |
| 2025 | 25,141 |
| 2026 | 25,196 |
Where is Diest?
Business sectors: Diest
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical19.0% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade15.9% ×1.1
- Construction12.6% ×0.9
- Other service activities7.5% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.5% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services5.7% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.7% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services5.4% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Diest
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Diest?
Diest has 25,196 residents (2026), ranking 123 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Diest?
Diest covers 58.7 km², with a density of 429 people per km².
Is the population of Diest growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Diest went from 23,538 to 25,196, a change of +7.0%.
Where is Diest?
Diest is in Flemish Brabant. It belongs to Leuven (arrondissement). Latitude 50.985, longitude 5.051.
Share of inhabitants under 20: what is the figure for Diest?
In Diest, “Share of inhabitants under 20” stands at 19.2% (2026), ranking 512 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.5%.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Diest?
In Diest, “Number of dwellings” stands at 12,264 (2024), ranking 116 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Diest?
In Diest, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,070 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Diest?
The nearest to Diest are Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (5.4 km), Halen (6.0 km), Bekkevoort (7.1 km), Herk-de-Stad (9.5 km), Kortenaken (9.5 km).
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