Safest municipalities in Flanders (2025)

How safe is your future municipality?

The crime figures per municipality give an indication of the number of registered offences. We use the number of offences per 1,000 inhabitants to compare municipalities of different sizes fairly. A municipality with 50,000 inhabitants and 2,500 offences has the same crime rate (50 per 1,000) as a municipality with 10,000 inhabitants and 500 offences.

Cities generally score higher than villages. This is because cities attract more visitors, commuters and nightlife — not necessarily because they are less safe to live in. Where possible, compare municipalities of a similar size.

The figures are based on offences registered by the police. Not all crime is reported (the so-called “dark number”). Actual crime may be higher than the registered figures suggest.

Frequently asked questions

What does crime per 1,000 inhabitants tell you?

This figure makes municipalities comparable regardless of their size. It shows the number of registered offences per 1,000 inhabitants. The lower the figure, the less registered crime relative to the population.

Why do cities score higher than villages?

Cities attract many non-residents every day: commuters, shoppers, students and tourists. Offences committed by or against these visitors are attributed to the city, which artificially raises the figure per inhabitant.

Where do the figures come from?

The crime statistics come from the Federal Police and are published through the Gemeente-Stadsmonitor of the Flemish government. They cover registered offences for the year 2025.