Poperinge: population and statistics
Poperinge has a population of 19,890 (2026) across 120.4 km², or 165 people per km². It ranks 175 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +0.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 19,890 residents
- 120.4 km²
- 165 people/km²
- 20 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Poperinge ranks No. 21 by population.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: 25.2% in Poperinge, compared with an average of 25.3% in West Flanders and 20.7% nationally.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: 7.04 ‰ inh. in Poperinge, compared with an average of 7.30 ‰ inh. in West Flanders and 4.28 ‰ inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 16.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 1,104 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 16,859 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vleteren, 6.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ypres (35,629 residents), 11 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,416 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Poperinge in numbers
All indicators for Poperinge
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 | Poperinge | 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 | Poperinge | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 38.5% | – | 34.6% | ranked 239 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.0% | – | 15.3% | ranked 169 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 73.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 465 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 9,777 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 165 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 7.04 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 82 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Poperinge | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 67.3% | – | 76.7% | ranked 451 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Poperinge | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 2,406 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 129 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 121.0 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 121 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 22,029 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 432 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,630 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 388 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 235,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 448 of 554 |
Transport
| Indicator | Poperinge | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.13 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 438 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 20.5% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 177 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Poperinge | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 4.0% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 454 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.1% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 346 of 551 |
Population of Poperinge over time
Poperinge had 19,755 residents in 2016 and 19,890 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,686 |
| 2022 | 19,782 |
| 2023 | 19,947 |
| 2024 | 19,921 |
| 2025 | 19,962 |
| 2026 | 19,890 |
Where is Poperinge?
Business sectors: Poperinge
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.3% ×3.9
- Construction15.2% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade13.4% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical13.3% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services6.9% ×1.3
- Manufacturing6.6% ×1.4
- Other service activities6.4% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services5.2% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Poperinge
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Poperinge?
Poperinge has 19,890 residents (2026), ranking 175 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Poperinge?
Poperinge covers 120.4 km², with a density of 165 people per km².
Is the population of Poperinge growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Poperinge went from 19,755 to 19,890, a change of +0.7%.
Where is Poperinge?
Poperinge is in West Flanders. It belongs to Ieper (arrondissement). Latitude 50.855, longitude 2.726.
Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Poperinge?
In Poperinge, “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over” stands at 25.2% (2026), ranking 52 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 21.7%.
New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Poperinge?
In Poperinge, “New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 7.04 ‰ inh. (2021-2025), ranking 82 of 564 municipalities; the national median is 4.39 ‰ inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Poperinge?
In Poperinge, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 1,104 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Poperinge?
The nearest to Poperinge are Vleteren (6.7 km), Ypres (11 km), Heuvelland (12 km), Lo-Reninge (14 km), Langemark-Poelkapelle (15 km).
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