Wavre: population and statistics
Wavre has a population of 35,735 (2026) across 42.1 km², or 849 people per km². It ranks 65 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 35,735 residents
- 42.1 km²
- 849 people/km²
- 60 m
Key points
Among the 27 municipalities in Walloon Brabant, Wavre ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 24.9% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,065 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Walloon Brabant for “VAT-liable enterprises”.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,898 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Rixensart, 4.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (60,979 residents), 19 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,260 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Wavre in numbers
All indicators for Wavre
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 | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.1% | 21.6% | 21.7% | ranked 159 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.0% | 21.8% | 21.5% | ranked 346 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 28.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 333 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 11.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 416 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 80.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 235 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 16,134 | 188,756 | 5,783,434 | ranked 76 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 2.35 ‰ inh. | 2.52 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 465 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 84.1% | – | 76.7% | ranked 142 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 4,622 | 50,462 | 1,170,010 | ranked 37 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 129.3 ‰ inh. | 121.0 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 76 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 26,292 € | 26,721 € | 24,247 € | ranked 144 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,411 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 321 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 415,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 78 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 245,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 161 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.23 | 1.30 | 1.25 | ranked 310 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 20.0% | 18.5% | 17.6% | ranked 194 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Wavre | Walloon Brabant | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 11.3% | 10.7% | 6.4% | ranked 121 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 8.8% | 8.3% | 7.0% | ranked 171 of 551 |
Population of Wavre over time
Wavre had 33,806 residents in 2016 and 35,735 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,826 |
| 2022 | 35,111 |
| 2023 | 35,444 |
| 2024 | 35,558 |
| 2025 | 35,581 |
| 2026 | 35,735 |
Where is Wavre?
Business sectors: Wavre
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical24.9% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade16.6% ×1.1
- Construction10.7% ×0.8
- Information and communication7.9% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services7.3% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.8% ×1.0
- Other service activities4.3% ×0.7
- Manufacturing4.3% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Wavre
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wavre?
Wavre has 35,735 residents (2026), ranking 65 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Wavre?
Wavre covers 42.1 km², with a density of 849 people per km².
Is the population of Wavre growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Wavre went from 33,806 to 35,735, a change of +5.7%.
Where is Wavre?
Wavre is in Walloon Brabant. It belongs to Nivelles (arrondissement). Latitude 50.717, longitude 4.600.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Wavre?
In Wavre, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 4,622 (2024), ranking 37 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Wavre?
In Wavre, “Number of dwellings” stands at 16,134 (2024), ranking 76 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Wavre?
In Wavre, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,065 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Wavre?
The nearest to Wavre are Rixensart (4.7 km), Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (5.6 km), Grez-Doiceau (7.3 km), Huldenberg (7.5 km), Chaumont-Gistoux (7.6 km).
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