Bruges: population and statistics
Bruges has a population of 120,458 (2026) across 141.2 km², or 853 people per km². It ranks 8 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 120,458 residents
- 141.2 km²
- 853 people/km²
- 13 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Bruges ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 21.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,082 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in West Flanders for “Population”.
- Number 1 in West Flanders for “Number of dwellings”.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants under 20”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,775 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.2 times the national average.
Bruges in numbers
All indicators for Bruges
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 | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.6% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 39 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 18.2% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 545 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 35.3% | – | 34.6% | ranked 273 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 10.3% | – | 15.3% | ranked 456 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 77.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 379 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 66,230 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 6 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.44 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 276 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 73.0% | – | 76.7% | ranked 359 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 13,751 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 5 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 114.2 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 172 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 25,820 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 176 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 31,137 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 252 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 350,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 162 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 265,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 112 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.95 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 527 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 29.3% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 48 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Bruges | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.3% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 163 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.2% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 339 of 551 |
Population of Bruges over time
Bruges had 118,053 residents in 2016 and 120,458 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 118,467 |
| 2022 | 118,509 |
| 2023 | 119,541 |
| 2024 | 119,869 |
| 2025 | 120,283 |
| 2026 | 120,458 |
Where is Bruges?
Business sectors: Bruges
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical21.1% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade14.0% ×0.9
- Construction10.0% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services9.2% ×1.7
- Other service activities6.9% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.5% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services6.5% ×1.0
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.5% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Bruges
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bruges?
Bruges has 120,458 residents (2026), ranking 8 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Bruges?
Bruges covers 141.2 km², with a density of 853 people per km².
Is the population of Bruges growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bruges went from 118,053 to 120,458, a change of +2.0%.
Where is Bruges?
Bruges is in West Flanders. It belongs to Brugge (arrondissement). Latitude 51.209, longitude 3.224.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Bruges?
In Bruges, “Number of dwellings” stands at 66,230 (2024), ranking 6 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Bruges?
In Bruges, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 13,751 (2024), ranking 5 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Bruges?
In Bruges, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,082 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Bruges?
The nearest to Bruges are Oostkamp (6.1 km), Damme (6.2 km), Zuienkerke (7.8 km), Jabbeke (9.1 km), Zedelgem (9.6 km).
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