Nivelles: population and statistics
Nivelles has a population of 29,830 (2026) across 60.8 km², or 490 people per km². It ranks 92 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +6.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 29,830 residents
- 60.8 km²
- 490 people/km²
- 105 m
Key points
Among the 27 municipalities in Walloon Brabant, Nivelles ranks No. 5 by population.
Cars per household: 1.04 in Nivelles, compared with an average of 1.30 in Walloon Brabant and 1.07 nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 23.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,082 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,520 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Ittre, 7.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is La Louvière (81,751 residents), 16 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,328 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Nivelles in numbers
All indicators for Nivelles
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 | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.9% | 21.6% | 21.7% | ranked 174 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.2% | 21.8% | 21.5% | ranked 438 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 39.3% | – | 34.6% | ranked 224 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 14.3% | – | 15.3% | ranked 327 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 78.0% | – | 79.9% | ranked 371 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 14,307 | 188,756 | 5,783,434 | ranked 92 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 2.38 ‰ inh. | 2.52 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 463 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 75.8% | – | 76.7% | ranked 298 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 3,147 | 50,462 | 1,170,010 | ranked 91 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 105.5 ‰ inh. | 121.0 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 251 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,404 € | 26,721 € | 24,247 € | ranked 136 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,349 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 326 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 370,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 130 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 220,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 215 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.04 | 1.30 | 1.25 | ranked 495 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 26.9% | 18.5% | 17.6% | ranked 60 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Nivelles | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.9% | 10.7% | 6.4% | ranked 145 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 9.0% | 8.3% | 7.0% | ranked 165 of 551 |
Population of Nivelles over time
Nivelles had 28,027 residents in 2016 and 29,830 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 29,032 |
| 2022 | 29,085 |
| 2023 | 29,018 |
| 2024 | 29,070 |
| 2025 | 29,429 |
| 2026 | 29,830 |
Where is Nivelles?
Business sectors: Nivelles
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical23.6% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade16.4% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.7% ×1.2
- Construction7.4% ×0.5
- Information and communication6.8% ×1.2
- Health and social work6.0% ×1.3
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Other service activities4.4% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Nivelles
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nivelles?
Nivelles has 29,830 residents (2026), ranking 92 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Nivelles?
Nivelles covers 60.8 km², with a density of 490 people per km².
Is the population of Nivelles growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Nivelles went from 28,027 to 29,830, a change of +6.4%.
Where is Nivelles?
Nivelles is in Walloon Brabant. It belongs to Nivelles (arrondissement). Latitude 50.596, longitude 4.324.
Cars per household: what is the figure for Nivelles?
In Nivelles, “Cars per household” stands at 1.04 (2025), ranking 495 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 1.25.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Nivelles?
In Nivelles, “Number of dwellings” stands at 14,307 (2024), ranking 92 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nivelles?
In Nivelles, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,082 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nivelles?
The nearest to Nivelles are Ittre (7.2 km), Seneffe (8.7 km), Genappe (9.0 km), Braine-l’Alleud (10.0 km), Pont-à-Celles (10 km).
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