Living in Flanders by the numbers: age, cars, education and house prices

WaarWonen.be has expanded with a range of new data points for all 285 Flemish municipalities. Thanks to data from Statbel, you can now see for each municipality: the average age of residents, the number of cars per household, education levels — and how house prices have evolved over the past fifteen years. Here are the most striking findings.

The youngest and oldest municipalities in Flanders

The average Fleming is 43.5 years old. But that average Fleming doesn't really exist — the spread between municipalities is enormous.

The three youngest municipalities are Vilvoorde (37.4 years), Machelen (37.6 years) and Antwerp (38.5 years). These are highly urbanised municipalities with many young families and international residents. For buyers seeking a dynamic, young environment, these are interesting locations.

At the other end of the spectrum are coastal areas like Koksijde (56.1 years), Nieuwpoort (53.5 years) and Knokke-Heist (53.2 years). These municipalities traditionally attract retirees and have a high share of holiday homes, which pushes the average age up considerably. Families with young children should factor this into their school and social life expectations.

How many cars are parked on your street?

On average, a Flemish household owns 1.24 cars. Here too, the differences are striking.

The municipality with the most cars per household is Herstappe (1.59), followed by Pepingen (1.50) and Kampenhout (1.47). These are typically rural municipalities without strong public transport, where a car is simply indispensable.

City centres score lower, as expected: in Ghent and Antwerp, significantly fewer cars per household are registered. Those who consciously want to live without a (second) car are best served by choosing a densely populated municipality with good train and bus connections.

This figure also says something about parking pressure, local mobility infrastructure and neighbourhood character — all useful context when buying a home.

Education levels: the most and least educated municipalities

The share of higher-educated residents varies considerably. On average, 23.4% of Flemish residents hold a higher education degree.

Sint-Martens-Latem tops the list with 41.4% higher-educated residents, followed by Oud-Heverlee (40.0%) and Hove (38.5%). These are residential municipalities near university cities like Ghent and Leuven, popular with academics and liberal professionals.

This data point is not purely academic. Research shows that the education level of a neighbourhood correlates with income levels, social cohesion and even property prices. Higher concentrations of highly educated residents often come with higher land prices and attractive amenities.

House prices: on average +62% more expensive than in 2010

One of the most striking new datasets on WaarWonen.be is the price evolution of houses over the period 2010–2024. On average, Flemish homes have become 62% more expensive during that period.

But that average conceals enormous local differences:

Puurs-Sint-Amands saw the strongest rise: from €185,000 in 2010 to €361,000 in 2024 — a jump of +95%. Ghent (+94%, from €190,000 to €369,000) and Ledegem (+94%) also saw spectacular price increases.

At the other end, some municipalities grew much more slowly. Lo-Reninge rose just 27% (from €192,250 to €245,000), Koksijde +29% and Torhout +30%. These are municipalities where buyers can currently enter the market relatively affordably compared to the rest of Flanders.

This historical price trend is now displayed on every municipality page on WaarWonen.be — including the exact starting price in 2010 and the most recent median price.

Building permits: where is construction happening?

Another new indicator is the number of new building permits per municipality in 2024. This gives a picture of where active construction is happening — and therefore where housing supply may increase in the future.

Municipalities with many new building permits may indicate growth and development, but also potential densification of existing neighbourhoods. For those seeking tranquillity and a stable neighbourhood, this is a useful signal to consider.

The complete picture: more than just taxes

WaarWonen.be started as a tool to compare taxes and house prices. With this new data, the picture becomes much more complete. Whether you're looking at the age profile of a municipality, the share of higher-educated residents, the mobility situation or the price evolution over the past fifteen years — all of this information helps you make a better, more considered choice about where to live.

Check the data for your municipality via the search bar at the top, or compare multiple municipalities side by side on the comparison page.

Source: Statbel, BelgieInCijfers — 2024 data