Herstal: population and statistics
Herstal has a population of 40,909 (2026) across 23.4 km², or 1,751 people per km². It ranks 49 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 40,909 residents
- 23.4 km²
- 1,751 people/km²
- 64 m
Key points
Among the 84 municipalities in Liège, Herstal ranks No. 4 by population.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: 18,229 € in Herstal, compared with an average of 21,639 € in Liège and 23,352 € nationally.
Administrative poverty risk: 17.5% in Herstal, compared with an average of 14.1% in Liège and 11.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 21.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,038 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Net taxable income per inhabitant”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Administrative poverty risk”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,272 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.5 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Oupeye, 5.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Liège (198,102 residents), 5.0 km away.
Herstal in numbers
All indicators for Herstal
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 | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 19.2% | 20.6% | 21.7% | ranked 459 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 24.6% | 22.2% | 21.5% | ranked 40 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 47.2% | – | 34.6% | ranked 142 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 7.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 509 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 373 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 18,228 | 549,948 | 5,783,434 | ranked 60 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 2.64 ‰ inh. | 2.72 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 443 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 59.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 531 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,312 | 89,330 | 1,170,010 | ranked 137 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 56.5 ‰ inh. | 79.4 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 539 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 18,229 € | 21,639 € | 24,247 € | ranked 545 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 25,458 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 523 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 200,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 495 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 150,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 290 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.04 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 495 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 26.9% | 25.4% | 17.6% | ranked 60 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Herstal | Liège | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 17.3% | 11.6% | 6.4% | ranked 59 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 17.5% | 14.1% | 7.0% | ranked 29 of 551 |
Population of Herstal over time
Herstal had 39,617 residents in 2016 and 40,909 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 40,157 |
| 2022 | 40,481 |
| 2023 | 40,666 |
| 2024 | 40,814 |
| 2025 | 40,834 |
| 2026 | 40,909 |
Where is Herstal?
Business sectors: Herstal
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade21.5% ×1.4
- Construction15.9% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical13.1% ×0.6
- Manufacturing8.1% ×1.7
- Other service activities7.4% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services6.9% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services5.3% ×0.8
- Transport and storage4.2% ×1.6
Sunshine and temperatures: Herstal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Herstal?
Herstal has 40,909 residents (2026), ranking 49 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Herstal?
Herstal covers 23.4 km², with a density of 1,751 people per km².
Is the population of Herstal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Herstal went from 39,617 to 40,909, a change of +3.3%.
Where is Herstal?
Herstal is in Liège. It belongs to Liège (arrondissement). Latitude 50.664, longitude 5.630.
Net taxable income per inhabitant: what is the figure for Herstal?
In Herstal, “Net taxable income per inhabitant” stands at 18,229 € (2023), ranking 545 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 24,247 €.
Administrative poverty risk: what is the figure for Herstal?
In Herstal, “Administrative poverty risk” stands at 17.5% (2023), ranking 29 of 551 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Herstal?
In Herstal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,038 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Herstal?
The nearest to Herstal are Oupeye (5.0 km), Liège (5.0 km), Beyne-Heusay (5.5 km), Fléron (6.5 km), Blegny (7.3 km).
Coat of arms: Evil berry, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Original: Municipality of Herstal Vector: TheWanderingTraders, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
