Waregem: population and statistics
Waregem has a population of 40,737 (2026) across 44.5 km², or 915 people per km². It ranks 52 of 565 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.3% between 2016 and 2026.
- 40,737 residents
- 44.5 km²
- 915 people/km²
- 14 m
Key points
Among the 62 municipalities in West Flanders, Waregem ranks No. 5 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 21.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 39° generates about 1,066 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “VAT-liable enterprises”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Number of dwellings”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,232 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Wielsbeke, 3.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kortrijk (81,523 residents), 11 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,264 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Waregem in numbers
All indicators for Waregem
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 | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.5% | 25.3% | 21.7% | ranked 133 of 564 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 20 (2026) | 20.5% | 19.9% | 21.5% | ranked 407 of 564 |
Housing
| Indicator | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings built before 1946 (2024) | 16.8% | – | 34.6% | ranked 492 of 564 | |
| Buildings built after 2001 (2024) | 18.8% | – | 15.3% | ranked 139 of 564 | |
| Share of houses in the building stock (2024) | 79.4% | – | 79.9% | ranked 310 of 564 | |
| Number of dwellings (2024) | 18,932 | 736,010 | 5,783,434 | ranked 57 of 565 | |
| New dwellings authorised per year per 1,000 inhabitants (2021-2025) | 7.60 ‰ inh. | 7.30 ‰ inh. | 4.39 ‰ inh. | ranked 62 of 564 |
Energy
| Indicator | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential buildings with central heating or air conditioning (2024) | 76.4% | – | 76.7% | ranked 290 of 564 |
Economy
| Indicator | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAT-liable enterprises (2024) | 5,141 | 148,653 | 1,170,010 | ranked 31 of 565 | |
| VAT-liable enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 126.2 ‰ inh. | 120.3 ‰ inh. | 102.2 ‰ inh. | ranked 93 of 564 | |
| Net taxable income per inhabitant (2023) | 24,745 € | 24,427 € | 24,247 € | ranked 249 of 564 | |
| Median disposable income (administrative) (2023) | 30,943 € | – | 30,830 € | ranked 271 of 551 | |
| Median selling price of houses (2025) | 324,000 € | – | 302,500 € | ranked 229 of 554 | |
| Median selling price of apartments (2025) | 249,488 € | – | 249,900 € | ranked 152 of 299 |
Transport
| Indicator | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars per household (2025) | 1.20 | 1.11 | 1.25 | ranked 356 of 564 | |
| Households without a car (2025) | 18.6% | 23.1% | 17.6% | ranked 235 of 564 |
Society
| Indicator | Waregem | West Flanders | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of inhabitants of foreign nationality (2026) | 8.5% | 7.6% | 6.4% | ranked 190 of 564 | |
| Administrative poverty risk (2023) | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7.0% | ranked 284 of 551 |
Population of Waregem over time
Waregem had 37,606 residents in 2016 and 40,737 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 38,535 |
| 2022 | 38,948 |
| 2023 | 39,488 |
| 2024 | 39,997 |
| 2025 | 40,436 |
| 2026 | 40,737 |
Where is Waregem?
Business sectors: Waregem
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Professional, scientific and technical21.2% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade17.4% ×1.2
- Construction15.0% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.5% ×1.4
- Other service activities6.2% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services4.4% ×0.8
- Information and communication4.2% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Waregem
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Waregem?
Waregem has 40,737 residents (2026), ranking 52 of 565 municipalities.
How big is Waregem?
Waregem covers 44.5 km², with a density of 915 people per km².
Is the population of Waregem growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Waregem went from 37,606 to 40,737, a change of +8.3%.
Where is Waregem?
Waregem is in West Flanders. It belongs to Kortrijk (arrondissement). Latitude 50.881, longitude 3.400.
VAT-liable enterprises: what is the figure for Waregem?
In Waregem, “VAT-liable enterprises” stands at 5,141 (2024), ranking 31 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 1,324.
Number of dwellings: what is the figure for Waregem?
In Waregem, “Number of dwellings” stands at 18,932 (2024), ranking 57 of 565 municipalities; the national median is 6,052.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Waregem?
In Waregem, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 39° produces about 1,066 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Waregem?
The nearest to Waregem are Wielsbeke (3.8 km), Deerlijk (4.5 km), Zulte (4.8 km), Oostrozebeke (6.1 km), Harelbeke (6.7 km).
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