Harelbeke: population and statistics
Harelbeke has a population of 30,605 (2026) across 29.4 km², or 1,041 people per km². It ranks 88 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 30,605 residents
- 29.4 km²
- 1,041 people/km²
- 14 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Harelbeke ranks No. 11 by population.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,070 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,118 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kuurne, 2.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kortrijk (81,523 residents), 4.6 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,280 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Harelbeke in numbers
All indicators for Harelbeke
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 | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.2% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 229 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.3% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 302 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 23.9% | – | 34.6% | ranked 389 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 15.3% | – | 15.3% | ranked 282 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 81.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 194 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 13,977 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 97 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 4.27 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 300 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 67.1% | – | 76.7% | ranked 456 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,975 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 100 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 97.2 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 332 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,467 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 338 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,488 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 311 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 255,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 411 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 215,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 230 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.17 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 394 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.6% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 235 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Harelbeke | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 9.1% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 172 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.4% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 317 of 551 |
Population of Harelbeke over time
Harelbeke had 27,536 residents in 2016 and 30,605 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,614 |
| 2022 | 29,095 |
| 2023 | 29,574 |
| 2024 | 29,904 |
| 2025 | 30,311 |
| 2026 | 30,605 |
Where is Harelbeke?
Business sectors: Harelbeke
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction18.7% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical17.1% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade15.5% ×1.0
- Manufacturing7.5% ×1.6
- Other service activities7.4% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.7% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services4.3% ×0.8
- Health and social work4.2% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Harelbeke
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Harelbeke?
Harelbeke has 30,605 residents (2026), ranking 88 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Harelbeke?
Harelbeke covers 29.4 km², with a density of 1,041 people per km².
Is the population of Harelbeke growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Harelbeke went from 27,536 to 30,605, a change of +11.1%.
Where is Harelbeke?
Harelbeke is in West Flanders. It belongs to Kortrijk (arrondissement). Latitude 50.857, longitude 3.313.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Harelbeke?
In Harelbeke, “Number of dwellings” stands at 13,977 (2024), ranking 97 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Harelbeke?
In Harelbeke, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 2,975 (2024), ranking 100 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Harelbeke?
In Harelbeke, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,070 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Harelbeke?
The nearest to Harelbeke are Kuurne (2.0 km), Deerlijk (2.8 km), Kortrijk (4.6 km), Lendelede (6.2 km), Zwevegem (6.5 km).
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