Charleroi: population and statistics
Charleroi has a population of 206,900 (2026) across 103.0 km², or 2,010 people per km². It ranks 3 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 206,900 residents
- 103.0 km²
- 2,010 people/km²
- 133 m
Key points
Among the 69 municipalities in Hainaut, Charleroi ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 23.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,049 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Hainaut for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Hainaut for “Population density”.
- “Median selling price of apartments”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 14,419 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.2 times the national average.
Charleroi in numbers
All indicators for Charleroi
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 | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 18.2% | 20.4% | 21.7% | ranked 501 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 24.5% | 22.3% | 21.5% | ranked 45 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 61.9% | – | 34.6% | ranked 25 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 3.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 551 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 72.6% | – | 79.9% | ranked 473 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 103,352 | 659,990 | 5,783,434 | ranked 4 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 0.72 ‰ inh. | 2.06 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 557 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 48.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 558 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 10,474 | 90,576 | 1,170,010 | ranked 10 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 50.6 ‰ inh. | 66.2 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 550 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 16,725 € | 20,382 € | 24,247 € | ranked 556 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 23,263 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 546 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 158,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 542 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 122,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 298 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.88 | 1.08 | 1.25 | ranked 539 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 36.1% | 26.4% | 17.6% | ranked 26 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Charleroi | Hainaut | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 16.6% | 12.7% | 6.4% | ranked 64 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 24.4% | 14.8% | 7.0% | ranked 6 of 551 |
Population of Charleroi over time
Charleroi had 202,182 residents in 2016 and 206,900 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 201,837 |
| 2022 | 202,421 |
| 2023 | 203,785 |
| 2024 | 204,322 |
| 2025 | 205,763 |
| 2026 | 206,900 |
Where is Charleroi?
Business sectors: Charleroi
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade23.1% ×1.5
- Construction13.9% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical13.0% ×0.6
- Accommodation and food services8.7% ×1.6
- Other service activities8.6% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services5.5% ×0.8
- Manufacturing5.0% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.7% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Charleroi
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Charleroi?
Charleroi has 206,900 residents (2026), ranking 3 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Charleroi?
Charleroi covers 103.0 km², with a density of 2,010 people per km².
Is the population of Charleroi growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Charleroi went from 202,182 to 206,900, a change of +2.3%.
Where is Charleroi?
Charleroi is in Hainaut. It belongs to Charleroi (arrondissement). Latitude 50.417, longitude 4.444.
Median selling price of apartments: what is the figure for Charleroi?
In Charleroi, “Median selling price of apartments” stands at 122,000 € (2025), ranking 298 of 299 municipalities; the national median is 249,900 €.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Charleroi?
In Charleroi, “Number of dwellings” stands at 103,352 (2024), ranking 4 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Charleroi?
In Charleroi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,049 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Charleroi?
The nearest to Charleroi are Châtelet (5.9 km), Montigny-le-Tilleul (6.1 km), Courcelles (6.7 km), Farciennes (7.5 km), Aiseau-Presles (8.7 km).
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