Kortenaken: population and statistics
Kortenaken has a population of 8,046 (2026) across 49.4 km², or 163 people per km². It ranks 414 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.5% between 2016 and 2026.
- 8,046 residents
- 49.4 km²
- 163 people/km²
- 36 m
Key points
Among the 63 municipalities in Flemish Brabant, Kortenaken ranks No. 54 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 4.3% in Kortenaken, compared with an average of 6.8% in Flemish Brabant and 11.0% nationally.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: 8.55 ‰ inh. in Kortenaken, compared with an average of 4.02 ‰ inh. in Flemish Brabant and 4.28 ‰ inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,082 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,924 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Geetbets, 4.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Herk-de-Stad (13,004 residents), 8.4 km away.
Kortenaken in numbers
All indicators for Kortenaken
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 | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.1% | 20.8% | 21.7% | ranked 101 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.6% | 22.6% | 21.5% | ranked 480 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 22.6% | – | 34.6% | ranked 416 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 15.4% | – | 15.3% | ranked 276 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 83.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 92 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 3,478 | 542,504 | 5,783,434 | ranked 425 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 8.55 ‰ inh. | 4.02 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 41 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 95 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,005 | 130,833 | 1,170,010 | ranked 356 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 124.9 ‰ inh. | 108.1 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 103 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,961 € | 26,927 € | 24,247 € | ranked 165 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,565 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 100 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 290,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 315 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.41 | 1.20 | 1.25 | ranked 50 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 14.4% | 21.3% | 17.6% | ranked 480 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Kortenaken | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.3% | 11.9% | 6.4% | ranked 512 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.3% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 521 of 551 |
Population of Kortenaken over time
Kortenaken had 7,930 residents in 2016 and 8,046 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,898 |
| 2022 | 7,916 |
| 2023 | 7,970 |
| 2024 | 7,949 |
| 2025 | 7,984 |
| 2026 | 8,046 |
Where is Kortenaken?
Business sectors: Kortenaken
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction16.5% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.9% ×3.3
- Professional, scientific and technical13.0% ×0.6
- Wholesale and retail trade12.6% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×1.1
- Other service activities7.1% ×1.1
- Manufacturing6.4% ×1.3
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.9% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Kortenaken
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kortenaken?
Kortenaken has 8,046 residents (2026), ranking 414 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Kortenaken?
Kortenaken covers 49.4 km², with a density of 163 people per km².
Is the population of Kortenaken growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Kortenaken went from 7,930 to 8,046, a change of +1.5%.
Where is Kortenaken?
Kortenaken is in Flemish Brabant. It belongs to Leuven (arrondissement). Latitude 50.900, longitude 5.067.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Kortenaken?
In Kortenaken, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 4.3% (2023), ranking 521 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kortenaken?
In Kortenaken, “New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 8.55 ‰ inh. (2021-2025), ranking 41 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 4.39 ‰ inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kortenaken?
In Kortenaken, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,082 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kortenaken?
The nearest to Kortenaken are Geetbets (4.0 km), Halen (6.3 km), Zoutleeuw (7.9 km), Herk-de-Stad (8.4 km), Bekkevoort (8.9 km).
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