Leuven: population and statistics
Leuven has a population of 105,357 (2026) across 57.5 km², or 1,832 people per km². It ranks 10 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 105,357 residents
- 57.5 km²
- 1,832 people/km²
- 38 m
Key points
Among the 63 municipalities in Flemish Brabant, Leuven ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 27.9% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,078 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Flemish Brabant for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Flemish Brabant for “Number of dwellings”.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,055 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.7 times the national average.
Leuven in numbers
All indicators for Leuven
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 | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 17.2% | 20.8% | 21.7% | ranked 518 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 18.9% | 22.6% | 21.5% | ranked 524 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 40.9% | – | 34.6% | ranked 203 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 8.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 489 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 397 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 66,084 | 542,504 | 5,783,434 | ranked 7 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 3.02 ‰ inh. | 4.02 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 414 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 82.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 170 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 10,734 | 130,833 | 1,170,010 | ranked 9 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 101.9 ‰ inh. | 108.1 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 286 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,429 € | 26,927 € | 24,247 € | ranked 132 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,172 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 142 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 460,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 42 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 285,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 63 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.68 | 1.20 | 1.25 | ranked 550 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 47.1% | 21.3% | 17.6% | ranked 13 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Leuven | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 22.6% | 11.9% | 6.4% | ranked 39 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 9.6% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 142 of 551 |
Population of Leuven over time
Leuven had 99,288 residents in 2016 and 105,357 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 101,032 |
| 2022 | 102,236 |
| 2023 | 103,009 |
| 2024 | 104,009 |
| 2025 | 104,906 |
| 2026 | 105,357 |
Where is Leuven?
Business sectors: Leuven
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical27.9% ×1.4
- Information and communication11.4% ×2.1
- Wholesale and retail trade10.1% ×0.7
- Health and social work8.0% ×1.7
- Accommodation and food services6.3% ×1.2
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.1% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services5.4% ×0.8
- Construction5.3% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Leuven
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Leuven?
Leuven has 105,357 residents (2026), ranking 10 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Leuven?
Leuven covers 57.5 km², with a density of 1,832 people per km².
Is the population of Leuven growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Leuven went from 99,288 to 105,357, a change of +6.1%.
Where is Leuven?
Leuven is in Flemish Brabant. It belongs to Leuven (arrondissement). Latitude 50.877, longitude 4.704.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Leuven?
In Leuven, “Number of dwellings” stands at 66,084 (2024), ranking 7 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Leuven?
In Leuven, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 10,734 (2024), ranking 9 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Leuven?
In Leuven, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,078 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Leuven?
The nearest to Leuven are Herent (4.1 km), Oud-Heverlee (5.6 km), Holsbeek (6.2 km), Bierbeek (6.6 km), Bertem (6.9 km).
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