Baelen: population and statistics
Baelen has a population of 4,514 (2026) across 85.7 km², or 52.7 people per km². It ranks 508 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 4,514 residents
- 85.7 km²
- 53 people/km²
- 257 m
Key points
Among the 84 municipalities in Liège, Baelen ranks No. 62 by population.
Households without a car: 13.0% in Baelen, compared with an average of 25.4% in Liège and 27.1% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 20.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,000 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Households without a car”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,996 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Limbourg, 3.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Welkenraedt (10,531 residents), 3.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,000 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Baelen in numbers
All indicators for Baelen
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 | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 19.8% | 20.6% | 21.7% | ranked 427 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 22.4% | 22.2% | 21.5% | ranked 177 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 35.6% | – | 34.6% | ranked 267 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 181 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 78.6% | – | 79.9% | ranked 349 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 2,061 | 549,948 | 5,783,434 | ranked 516 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 3.37 ‰ inh. | 2.72 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 382 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 81.1% | – | 76.7% | ranked 201 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 442 | 89,330 | 1,170,010 | ranked 502 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.9 ‰ inh. | 79.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 329 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,281 € | 21,639 € | 24,247 € | ranked 351 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,205 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 340 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 295,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 304 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.33 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 131 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 13.0% | 25.4% | 17.6% | ranked 519 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Baelen | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 7.8% | 11.6% | 6.4% | ranked 213 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.3% | 14.1% | 7.0% | ranked 329 of 551 |
Population of Baelen over time
Baelen had 4,370 residents in 2016 and 4,514 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,436 |
| 2022 | 4,461 |
| 2023 | 4,518 |
| 2024 | 4,487 |
| 2025 | 4,529 |
| 2026 | 4,514 |
Where is Baelen?
Business sectors: Baelen
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction20.6% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade16.1% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical14.5% ×0.7
- Other service activities8.1% ×1.2
- Manufacturing7.5% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services7.2% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.9% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.2% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Baelen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Baelen?
Baelen has 4,514 residents (2026), ranking 508 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Baelen?
Baelen covers 85.7 km², with a density of 53 people per km².
Is the population of Baelen growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Baelen went from 4,370 to 4,514, a change of +3.3%.
Where is Baelen?
Baelen is in Liège. It belongs to Verviers (arrondissement). Latitude 50.630, longitude 5.971.
Households without a car: what is the figure for Baelen?
In Baelen, “Households without a car” stands at 13.0% (2025), ranking 519 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 17.6%.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Baelen?
In Baelen, “Number of dwellings” stands at 2,061 (2024), ranking 516 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Baelen?
In Baelen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,000 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Baelen?
The nearest to Baelen are Limbourg (3.0 km), Welkenraedt (3.4 km), Eupen (4.4 km), Lontzen (6.3 km), Kelmis (8.0 km).
Coat of arms: Benzebuth198, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Rode raaf, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
