Alken: population and statistics
Alken has a population of 11,943 (2026) across 28.2 km², or 423 people per km². It ranks 312 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 11,943 residents
- 28.2 km²
- 423 people/km²
- 38 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Limburg, Alken ranks No. 29 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 20: 19.4% in Alken, compared with an average of 20.0% in Limburg and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 20.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,075 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 3,955 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Wellen, 4.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Hasselt (90,914 residents), 6.4 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,300 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Alken in numbers
All indicators for Alken
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 | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.6% | 23.3% | 21.7% | ranked 74 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.4% | 20.0% | 21.5% | ranked 496 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 12.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 520 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 16.5% | – | 15.3% | ranked 220 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 132 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 5,300 | 419,438 | 5,783,434 | ranked 323 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.51 ‰ inh. | 6.04 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 177 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.2% | – | 76.7% | ranked 104 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,512 | 94,292 | 1,170,010 | ranked 244 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 126.6 ‰ inh. | 103.8 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 89 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,947 € | 23,642 € | 24,247 € | ranked 166 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,849 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 172 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 325,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 219 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.37 | 1.26 | 1.25 | ranked 72 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 14.6% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 466 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Alken | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 4.7% | 12.3% | 6.4% | ranked 399 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 469 of 551 |
Population of Alken over time
Alken had 11,456 residents in 2016 and 11,943 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,685 |
| 2022 | 11,757 |
| 2023 | 11,839 |
| 2024 | 11,918 |
| 2025 | 11,937 |
| 2026 | 11,943 |
Where is Alken?
Business sectors: Alken
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical20.5% ×1.0
- Construction14.6% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade13.0% ×0.9
- Other service activities7.5% ×1.1
- Health and social work6.9% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.1% ×1.5
- Manufacturing5.0% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Alken
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Alken?
Alken has 11,943 residents (2026), ranking 312 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Alken?
Alken covers 28.2 km², with a density of 423 people per km².
Is the population of Alken growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Alken went from 11,456 to 11,943, a change of +4.3%.
Where is Alken?
Alken is in Limburg. It belongs to Tongeren (arrondissement). Latitude 50.876, longitude 5.308.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Alken?
In Alken, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 12.7% (2024), ranking 520 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Share of inhabitants under 20: what is the figure for Alken?
In Alken, “Share of inhabitants under 20” stands at 19.4% (2026), ranking 496 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Alken?
In Alken, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,075 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Alken?
The nearest to Alken are Wellen (4.6 km), Hasselt (6.4 km), Nieuwerkerken (7.6 km), Diepenbeek (8.4 km), Sint-Truiden (11 km).
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