Roeselare: population and statistics
Roeselare has a population of 67,697 (2026) across 60.4 km², or 1,121 people per km². It ranks 25 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +11.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 67,697 residents
- 60.4 km²
- 1,121 people/km²
- 24 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Roeselare ranks No. 4 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 20.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,079 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,459 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.9 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Hooglede, 4.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Bruges (120,458 residents), 30 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,316 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Roeselare in numbers
All indicators for Roeselare
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 | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.0% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 339 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 21.9% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 232 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 25.8% | – | 34.6% | ranked 362 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 21.6% | – | 15.3% | ranked 45 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 78.9% | – | 79.9% | ranked 336 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 32,051 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 26 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 5.84 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 149 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 72.4% | – | 76.7% | ranked 371 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 7,929 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 18 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 117.1 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 150 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 23,217 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 356 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 29,967 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 363 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 275,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 356 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 190,000 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 258 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.10 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 468 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 23.1% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 116 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Roeselare | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 13.6% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 90 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 8.2% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 209 of 551 |
Population of Roeselare over time
Roeselare had 60,999 residents in 2016 and 67,697 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 63,763 |
| 2022 | 64,495 |
| 2023 | 65,468 |
| 2024 | 66,262 |
| 2025 | 66,888 |
| 2026 | 67,697 |
Where is Roeselare?
Business sectors: Roeselare
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical20.6% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade16.9% ×1.1
- Construction14.3% ×1.0
- Other service activities6.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.4% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services6.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.7% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services4.3% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Roeselare
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Roeselare?
Roeselare has 67,697 residents (2026), ranking 25 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Roeselare?
Roeselare covers 60.4 km², with a density of 1,121 people per km².
Is the population of Roeselare growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Roeselare went from 60,999 to 67,697, a change of +11.0%.
Where is Roeselare?
Roeselare is in West Flanders. It belongs to Roeselare (arrondissement). Latitude 50.945, longitude 3.123.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Roeselare?
In Roeselare, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 7,929 (2024), ranking 18 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Roeselare?
In Roeselare, “Number of dwellings” stands at 32,051 (2024), ranking 26 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Roeselare?
In Roeselare, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,079 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Roeselare?
The nearest to Roeselare are Hooglede (4.7 km), Ardooie (4.9 km), Izegem (7.1 km), Moorslede (7.4 km), Staden (8.3 km).
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