Genk: population and statistics
Genk has a population of 68,101 (2026) across 87.6 km², or 778 people per km². It ranks 24 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 68,101 residents
- 87.6 km²
- 778 people/km²
- 68 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Limburg, Genk ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,032 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Limburg for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in Limburg for “Administrative poverty risk”.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,265 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.0 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Zutendaal, 5.8 km away.
Genk in numbers
All indicators for Genk
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 | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.2% | 23.3% | 21.7% | ranked 229 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.1% | 20.0% | 21.5% | ranked 334 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 20.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 443 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 14.8% | – | 15.3% | ranked 305 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 132 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 29,322 | 419,438 | 5,783,434 | ranked 30 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.44 ‰ inh. | 6.04 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 183 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 83.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 157 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 6,341 | 94,292 | 1,170,010 | ranked 22 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 93.1 ‰ inh. | 103.8 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 373 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 21,445 € | 23,642 € | 24,247 € | ranked 467 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 28,372 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 450 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 310,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 257 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 222,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 211 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.20 | 1.26 | 1.25 | ranked 356 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 21.1% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 162 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Genk | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 13.1% | 12.3% | 6.4% | ranked 95 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 9.4% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 148 of 551 |
Population of Genk over time
Genk had 65,691 residents in 2016 and 68,101 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 66,673 |
| 2022 | 67,009 |
| 2023 | 67,573 |
| 2024 | 67,877 |
| 2025 | 68,058 |
| 2026 | 68,101 |
Where is Genk?
Business sectors: Genk
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade17.1% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical17.1% ×0.8
- Construction15.6% ×1.1
- Other service activities8.6% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services7.0% ×1.3
- Manufacturing6.2% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services6.1% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.6% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Genk
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Genk?
Genk has 68,101 residents (2026), ranking 24 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Genk?
Genk covers 87.6 km², with a density of 778 people per km².
Is the population of Genk growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Genk went from 65,691 to 68,101, a change of +3.7%.
Where is Genk?
Genk is in Limburg. It belongs to Hasselt (arrondissement). Latitude 50.966, longitude 5.502.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Genk?
In Genk, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 6,341 (2024), ranking 22 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Genk?
In Genk, “Number of dwellings” stands at 29,322 (2024), ranking 30 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Genk?
In Genk, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,032 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Genk?
The nearest to Genk are Zutendaal (5.8 km), As (6.8 km), Diepenbeek (8.8 km), Zonhoven (9.8 km), Houthalen-Helchteren (11 km).
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