Koekelare: population and statistics
Koekelare has a population of 8,886 (2026) across 39.4 km², or 225 people per km². It ranks 387 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.6% between 2016 and 2026.
- 8,886 residents
- 39.4 km²
- 225 people/km²
- 15 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Koekelare ranks No. 50 by population.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: 1.7% in Koekelare, compared with an average of 7.6% in West Flanders and 13.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 20.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,092 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,524 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ichtegem (14,681 residents), 1.7 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,368 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Koekelare in numbers
All indicators for Koekelare
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 | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.3% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 91 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.0% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 346 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 25.3% | – | 34.6% | ranked 370 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 20.7% | – | 15.3% | ranked 75 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 80.8% | – | 79.9% | ranked 229 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 4,180 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 385 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.21 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 126 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 71.7% | – | 76.7% | ranked 387 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 1,133 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 327 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 127.5 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 85 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,125 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 365 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,261 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 332 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 268,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 383 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.20 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 356 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.2% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 254 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Koekelare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 1.7% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 563 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 4.8% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 469 of 551 |
Population of Koekelare over time
Koekelare had 8,750 residents in 2016 and 8,886 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,745 |
| 2022 | 8,769 |
| 2023 | 8,870 |
| 2024 | 8,827 |
| 2025 | 8,801 |
| 2026 | 8,886 |
Where is Koekelare?
Business sectors: Koekelare
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction20.4% ×1.5
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.9% ×3.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.1% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical9.9% ×0.5
- Manufacturing7.5% ×1.6
- Other service activities7.0% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.8% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Koekelare
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Koekelare?
Koekelare has 8,886 residents (2026), ranking 387 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Koekelare?
Koekelare covers 39.4 km², with a density of 225 people per km².
Is the population of Koekelare growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Koekelare went from 8,750 to 8,886, a change of +1.6%.
Where is Koekelare?
Koekelare is in West Flanders. It belongs to Diksmuide (arrondissement). Latitude 51.091, longitude 2.980.
Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality: what is the figure for Koekelare?
In Koekelare, “Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality” stands at 1.7% (2026), ranking 563 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 6.4%.
Buildings built after 2001: what is the figure for Koekelare?
In Koekelare, “Buildings built after 2001” stands at 20.7% (2024), ranking 75 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 15.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Koekelare?
In Koekelare, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,092 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Koekelare?
The nearest to Koekelare are Ichtegem (1.7 km), Gistel (7.3 km), Kortemark (8.2 km), Torhout (8.9 km), Diksmuide (10 km).
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