Bree: population and statistics
Bree has a population of 17,371 (2026) across 65.0 km², or 267 people per km². It ranks 209 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 17,371 residents
- 65.0 km²
- 267 people/km²
- 60 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Limburg, Bree ranks No. 19 by population.
Share of inhabitants under 20: 19.0% in Bree, compared with an average of 20.0% in Limburg and 21.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 15.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,063 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Buildings built after 2001”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 9,101 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Bocholt, 4.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Pelt (34,698 residents), 15 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,252 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Bree in numbers
All indicators for Bree
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 | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.8% | 23.3% | 21.7% | ranked 113 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 19.0% | 20.0% | 21.5% | ranked 520 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 15.6% | – | 34.6% | ranked 503 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 21.9% | – | 15.3% | ranked 34 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 397 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 8,320 | 419,438 | 5,783,434 | ranked 206 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 8.02 ‰ inh. | 6.04 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 55 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 86.6% | – | 76.7% | ranked 95 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,101 | 94,292 | 1,170,010 | ranked 160 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 120.9 ‰ inh. | 103.8 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 123 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,175 € | 23,642 € | 24,247 € | ranked 361 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,428 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 318 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 320,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 232 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 253,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 142 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.21 | 1.26 | 1.25 | ranked 339 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.0% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 260 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Bree | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 12.4% | 12.3% | 6.4% | ranked 106 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 5.6% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 396 of 551 |
Population of Bree over time
Bree had 15,785 residents in 2016 and 17,371 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,097 |
| 2022 | 16,324 |
| 2023 | 16,695 |
| 2024 | 16,967 |
| 2025 | 17,210 |
| 2026 | 17,371 |
Where is Bree?
Business sectors: Bree
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction15.8% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical15.8% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade14.5% ×1.0
- Manufacturing7.7% ×1.6
- Other service activities7.5% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.0% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.2% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Bree
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bree?
Bree has 17,371 residents (2026), ranking 209 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Bree?
Bree covers 65.0 km², with a density of 267 people per km².
Is the population of Bree growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bree went from 15,785 to 17,371, a change of +10.0%.
Where is Bree?
Bree is in Limburg. It belongs to Maaseik (arrondissement). Latitude 51.133, longitude 5.583.
Share of inhabitants under 20: what is the figure for Bree?
In Bree, “Share of inhabitants under 20” stands at 19.0% (2026), ranking 520 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.5%.
Buildings built after 2001: what is the figure for Bree?
In Bree, “Buildings built after 2001” stands at 21.9% (2024), ranking 34 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 15.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bree?
In Bree, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,063 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bree?
The nearest to Bree are Bocholt (4.3 km), Peer (9.1 km), Oudsbergen (9.3 km), Kinrooi (11 km), Hamont-Achel (13 km).
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