Ostend: population and statistics
Ostend has a population of 73,000 (2026) across 41.3 km², or 1,769 people per km². It ranks 22 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +3.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 73,000 residents
- 41.3 km²
- 1,769 people/km²
- 9 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Ostend ranks No. 3 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 30.0% in Ostend, compared with an average of 25.3% in West Flanders and 20.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 16.9% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,122 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in West Flanders for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in West Flanders for “Administrative poverty risk”.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Cars per household”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,779 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.6 times the national average.
Ostend in numbers
All indicators for Ostend
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 | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 30.0% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 9 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 18.0% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 548 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 31.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 310 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 13.0% | – | 15.3% | ranked 369 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 71.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 491 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 53,600 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 13 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 7.28 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 76 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 70.5% | – | 76.7% | ranked 410 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 6,328 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 23 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 86.7 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 416 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,099 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 369 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 27,643 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 476 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 305,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 271 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 214,900 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 232 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 0.74 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 546 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 41.7% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 21 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Ostend | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 12.6% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 102 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 11.1% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 96 of 551 |
Population of Ostend over time
Ostend had 70,600 residents in 2016 and 73,000 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 71,755 |
| 2022 | 71,557 |
| 2023 | 72,175 |
| 2024 | 72,586 |
| 2025 | 72,817 |
| 2026 | 73,000 |
Where is Ostend?
Business sectors: Ostend
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical16.9% ×0.8
- Wholesale and retail trade16.2% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services11.1% ×2.0
- Construction10.9% ×0.8
- Other service activities7.6% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.6% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×0.8
- Health and social work4.7% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Ostend
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ostend?
Ostend has 73,000 residents (2026), ranking 22 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Ostend?
Ostend covers 41.3 km², with a density of 1,769 people per km².
Is the population of Ostend growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Ostend went from 70,600 to 73,000, a change of +3.4%.
Where is Ostend?
Ostend is in West Flanders. It belongs to Oostende (arrondissement). Latitude 51.226, longitude 2.919.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Ostend?
In Ostend, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 30.0% (2026), ranking 9 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Ostend?
In Ostend, “Number of dwellings” stands at 53,600 (2024), ranking 13 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ostend?
In Ostend, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,122 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ostend?
The nearest to Ostend are Bredene (4.0 km), Oudenburg (7.3 km), Middelkerke (8.3 km), Gistel (8.4 km), De Haan (9.5 km).
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