Ypres: population and statistics
Ypres has a population of 35,629 (2026) across 131.5 km², or 271 people per km². It ranks 67 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 35,629 residents
- 131.5 km²
- 271 people/km²
- 21 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Ypres ranks No. 6 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 25.2% in Ypres, compared with an average of 25.3% in West Flanders and 20.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,092 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 18,412 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Zonnebeke, 7.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Roeselare (67,697 residents), 20 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,368 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Ypres in numbers
All indicators for Ypres
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 | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.2% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 52 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.5% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 407 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 41.1% | – | 34.6% | ranked 198 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 13.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 351 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 75.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 436 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 17,702 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 63 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.59 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 109 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 70.4% | – | 76.7% | ranked 414 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 4,136 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 53 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 116.1 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 155 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,309 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 349 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,013 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 359 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 285,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 323 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 222,500 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 211 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 457 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 23.1% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 116 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Ypres | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 6.8% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 266 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 7.1% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 268 of 551 |
Population of Ypres over time
Ypres had 34,959 residents in 2016 and 35,629 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,954 |
| 2022 | 35,039 |
| 2023 | 35,387 |
| 2024 | 35,550 |
| 2025 | 35,587 |
| 2026 | 35,629 |
Where is Ypres?
Business sectors: Ypres
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.0% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade14.9% ×1.0
- Construction14.1% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing9.1% ×2.2
- Manufacturing6.6% ×1.4
- Other service activities6.1% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Ypres
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ypres?
Ypres has 35,629 residents (2026), ranking 67 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Ypres?
Ypres covers 131.5 km², with a density of 271 people per km².
Is the population of Ypres growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Ypres went from 34,959 to 35,629, a change of +1.9%.
Where is Ypres?
Ypres is in West Flanders. It belongs to Ieper (arrondissement). Latitude 50.851, longitude 2.885.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Ypres?
In Ypres, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 4,136 (2024), ranking 53 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Ypres?
In Ypres, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 25.2% (2026), ranking 52 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ypres?
In Ypres, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,092 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ypres?
The nearest to Ypres are Zonnebeke (7.1 km), Langemark-Poelkapelle (7.3 km), Mesen (9.4 km), Heuvelland (11 km), Poperinge (11 km).
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