Zonhoven: population and statistics
Zonhoven has a population of 22,030 (2026) across 39.7 km², or 555 people per km². It ranks 148 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.5% between 2016 and 2026.
- 22,030 residents
- 39.7 km²
- 555 people/km²
- 44 m
Key points
Among the 38 municipalities in Limburg, Zonhoven ranks No. 16 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 23.9% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,044 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 90% of municipalities.
- “Administrative poverty risk”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,556 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Houthalen-Helchteren, 5.5 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 4,176 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Zonhoven in numbers
All indicators for Zonhoven
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 | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.6% | 23.3% | 21.7% | ranked 130 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.0% | 20.0% | 21.5% | ranked 451 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 7.7% | – | 34.6% | ranked 555 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 20.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 75 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 84.6% | – | 79.9% | ranked 69 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 9,543 | 419,438 | 5,783,434 | ranked 170 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.15 ‰ inh. | 6.04 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 131 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 89.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 53 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,596 | 94,292 | 1,170,010 | ranked 113 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 117.8 ‰ inh. | 103.8 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 142 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,219 € | 23,642 € | 24,247 € | ranked 223 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 32,020 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 158 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 347,500 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 172 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 268,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 105 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.34 | 1.26 | 1.25 | ranked 112 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 14.1% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 493 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Zonhoven | Limburg | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 4.8% | 12.3% | 6.4% | ranked 391 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.7% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 484 of 551 |
Population of Zonhoven over time
Zonhoven had 21,276 residents in 2016 and 22,030 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,339 |
| 2022 | 21,473 |
| 2023 | 21,653 |
| 2024 | 21,845 |
| 2025 | 21,923 |
| 2026 | 22,030 |
Where is Zonhoven?
Business sectors: Zonhoven
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical23.9% ×1.2
- Construction16.3% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade13.9% ×0.9
- Other service activities7.7% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services6.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.6% ×1.2
- Manufacturing5.5% ×1.1
- Information and communication5.0% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Zonhoven
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zonhoven?
Zonhoven has 22,030 residents (2026), ranking 148 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Zonhoven?
Zonhoven covers 39.7 km², with a density of 555 people per km².
Is the population of Zonhoven growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Zonhoven went from 21,276 to 22,030, a change of +3.5%.
Where is Zonhoven?
Zonhoven is in Limburg. It belongs to Hasselt (arrondissement). Latitude 50.985, longitude 5.365.
Buildings built before 1946: what is the figure for Zonhoven?
In Zonhoven, “Buildings built before 1946” stands at 7.7% (2024), ranking 555 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 34.6%.
Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning: what is the figure for Zonhoven?
In Zonhoven, “Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning” stands at 89.0% (2024), ranking 53 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 76.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Zonhoven?
In Zonhoven, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,044 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Zonhoven?
The nearest to Zonhoven are Houthalen-Helchteren (5.5 km), Hasselt (6.4 km), Heusden-Zolder (9.2 km), Diepenbeek (9.4 km), Genk (9.8 km).
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