Houthalen-Helchteren: population and statistics
Houthalen-Helchteren has a population of 30,879 (2026) across 78.2 km², or 395 people per km². It ranks 85 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +0.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 30,879 residents
- 78.2 km²
- 395 people/km²
- 68 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Limburg, Houthalen-Helchteren ranks No. 11 by population.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 21.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,034 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Buildings built before 1946”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 10,957 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Zonhoven, 5.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Genk (68,101 residents), 11 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,136 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Houthalen-Helchteren in numbers
All indicators for Houthalen-Helchteren
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 | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.1% | 23.3% | 21.7% | ranked 235 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.4% | 20.0% | 21.5% | ranked 291 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 6.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 563 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 17.8% | – | 15.3% | ranked 179 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 82.2% | – | 79.9% | ranked 159 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 13,844 | 419,438 | 5,783,434 | ranked 98 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.71 ‰ inh. | 6.04 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 157 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 89.8% | – | 76.7% | ranked 47 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,853 | 94,292 | 1,170,010 | ranked 104 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 92.4 ‰ inh. | 103.8 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 385 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 21,732 € | 23,642 € | 24,247 € | ranked 451 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,553 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 395 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 304,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 276 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 238,397 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 181 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.32 | 1.26 | 1.25 | ranked 147 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 15.3% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 424 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Houthalen-Helchteren | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.4% | 12.3% | 6.4% | ranked 160 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 7.0% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 272 of 551 |
Population of Houthalen-Helchteren over time
Houthalen-Helchteren had 30,592 residents in 2016 and 30,879 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,498 |
| 2022 | 30,844 |
| 2023 | 30,960 |
| 2024 | 30,896 |
| 2025 | 30,945 |
| 2026 | 30,879 |
Where is Houthalen-Helchteren?
Business sectors: Houthalen-Helchteren
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction21.2% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade16.9% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical15.1% ×0.7
- Other service activities10.3% ×1.5
- Manufacturing6.6% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services5.5% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×0.8
- Information and communication4.5% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Houthalen-Helchteren
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Houthalen-Helchteren?
Houthalen-Helchteren has 30,879 residents (2026), ranking 85 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Houthalen-Helchteren?
Houthalen-Helchteren covers 78.2 km², with a density of 395 people per km².
Is the population of Houthalen-Helchteren growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Houthalen-Helchteren went from 30,592 to 30,879, a change of +0.9%.
Where is Houthalen-Helchteren?
Houthalen-Helchteren is in Limburg. It belongs to Maaseik (arrondissement). Latitude 51.033, longitude 5.383.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Houthalen-Helchteren?
In Houthalen-Helchteren, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 6.5% (2024), ranking 563 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning: what is the figure for Houthalen-Helchteren?
In Houthalen-Helchteren, “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning” stands at 89.8% (2024), ranking 47 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 76.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Houthalen-Helchteren?
In Houthalen-Helchteren, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,034 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Houthalen-Helchteren?
The nearest to Houthalen-Helchteren are Zonhoven (5.5 km), Heusden-Zolder (7.2 km), Genk (11 km), Beringen (12 km), Hasselt (12 km).
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