Zemst: population and statistics
Zemst has a population of 23,367 (2026) across 43.2 km², or 540 people per km². It ranks 137 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 23,367 residents
- 43.2 km²
- 540 people/km²
- 12 m
Key points
Among the 63 municipalities in Flemish Brabant, Zemst ranks No. 16 by population.
Administrative poverty risk: 3.4% in Zemst, compared with an average of 6.8% in Flemish Brabant and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 23.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,070 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of houses in the building stock”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Net taxable income per inhabitant”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,055 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mechelen (90,355 residents), 5.2 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,280 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Zemst in numbers
All indicators for Zemst
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 | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.6% | 20.8% | 21.7% | ranked 199 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 22.1% | 22.6% | 21.5% | ranked 208 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 21.6% | – | 34.6% | ranked 430 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.4% | – | 15.3% | ranked 191 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 87.3% | – | 79.9% | ranked 12 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 10,050 | 542,504 | 5,783,434 | ranked 156 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 2.28 ‰ inh. | 4.02 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 474 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 85.9% | – | 76.7% | ranked 106 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,311 | 130,833 | 1,170,010 | ranked 138 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 98.9 ‰ inh. | 108.1 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 318 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 30,506 € | 26,927 € | 24,247 € | ranked 17 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 34,969 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 17 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 429,250 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 68 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.40 | 1.20 | 1.25 | ranked 57 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 13.1% | 21.3% | 17.6% | ranked 518 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Zemst | Flemish Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 3.7% | 11.9% | 6.4% | ranked 488 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 3.4% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 551 of 551 |
Population of Zemst over time
Zemst had 23,068 residents in 2016 and 23,367 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,314 |
| 2022 | 23,306 |
| 2023 | 23,357 |
| 2024 | 23,401 |
| 2025 | 23,369 |
| 2026 | 23,367 |
Where is Zemst?
Business sectors: Zemst
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical23.7% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade11.9% ×0.8
- Construction10.1% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services9.4% ×1.4
- Information and communication9.2% ×1.7
- Other service activities6.6% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.0
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.3% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Zemst
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zemst?
Zemst has 23,367 residents (2026), ranking 137 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Zemst?
Zemst covers 43.2 km², with a density of 540 people per km².
Is the population of Zemst growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Zemst went from 23,068 to 23,367, a change of +1.3%.
Where is Zemst?
Zemst is in Flemish Brabant. It belongs to Halle-Vilvoorde (arrondissement). Latitude 50.983, longitude 4.461.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Zemst?
In Zemst, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 3.4% (2023), ranking 551 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Share of houses in the building stock: what is the figure for Zemst?
In Zemst, “Share of houses in the building stock” stands at 87.3% (2024), ranking 12 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 79.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Zemst?
In Zemst, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,070 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Zemst?
The nearest to Zemst are Mechelen (5.2 km), Vilvoorde (6.6 km), Boortmeerbeek (7.4 km), Kapelle-op-den-Bos (7.6 km), Bonheiden (7.7 km).
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