Kortrijk: population and statistics
Kortrijk has a population of 81,523 (2026) across 80.7 km², or 1,010 people per km². It ranks 21 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 81,523 residents
- 80.7 km²
- 1,010 people/km²
- 24 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Kortrijk ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 25.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,070 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,301 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kuurne, 3.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ghent (274,042 residents), 41 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,280 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Kortrijk in numbers
All indicators for Kortrijk
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 | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.8% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 270 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 22.0% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 220 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 33.8% | – | 34.6% | ranked 292 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 12.2% | – | 15.3% | ranked 401 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 79.7% | – | 79.9% | ranked 292 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 39,926 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 21 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 6.56 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 113 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 68.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 435 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 9,970 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 11 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 122.3 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 114 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,913 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 309 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,720 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 380 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 285,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 323 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 239,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 180 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.05 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 490 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 26.6% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 63 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Kortrijk | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 11.4% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 116 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 9.5% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 145 of 551 |
Population of Kortrijk over time
Kortrijk had 75,506 residents in 2016 and 81,523 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 77,213 |
| 2022 | 77,741 |
| 2023 | 78,944 |
| 2024 | 80,032 |
| 2025 | 80,776 |
| 2026 | 81,523 |
Where is Kortrijk?
Business sectors: Kortrijk
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical25.6% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade14.5% ×1.0
- Construction11.4% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services6.6% ×1.0
- Other service activities6.0% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.8% ×1.1
- Health and social work5.0% ×1.1
- Manufacturing5.0% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Kortrijk
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kortrijk?
Kortrijk has 81,523 residents (2026), ranking 21 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Kortrijk?
Kortrijk covers 80.7 km², with a density of 1,010 people per km².
Is the population of Kortrijk growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Kortrijk went from 75,506 to 81,523, a change of +8.0%.
Where is Kortrijk?
Kortrijk is in West Flanders. It belongs to Kortrijk (arrondissement). Latitude 50.828, longitude 3.266.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Kortrijk?
In Kortrijk, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 9,970 (2024), ranking 11 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Kortrijk?
In Kortrijk, “Number of dwellings” stands at 39,926 (2024), ranking 21 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kortrijk?
In Kortrijk, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,070 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kortrijk?
The nearest to Kortrijk are Kuurne (3.1 km), Harelbeke (4.6 km), Zwevegem (5.6 km), Wevelgem (6.1 km), Deerlijk (6.8 km).
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