Brussels, Belgium Population 2024

Brussels's 2024 population is now estimated at 2,132,180In 1950, the population of Brussels was 1,414,670Brussels has grown by 10,190 in the last year, which represents a 0.48% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Brussels, which typically includes Brussels's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is located in Belgium and is comprised of 19 municipalities. Of these municipalities is the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium.

Along with Flanders and Wallonia, the City of Brussels is one of the three administrative regions within the country. The city is home to several international institutions, including some core institutions of the European Union, earning the informal nickname of the capital of the EU.

Brussels is legally bilingual, with both Dutch and French recognized as official languages although 90% of the population speaks French. English is increasingly being spoken in Brussels, making it multilingual.

City Area Size and Population Density

Brussels has a total area of 161.4 km² (62.3 mi²) with a population density of 7,558 people per square kilometer (19,582 people per square mile).

The estimated total population of Brussels is 1,219,970, with a growth rate of approximately 0.67%.

Brussels Demographics

Belgium does not collect statistics based on ethnicity.

Brussels is home to many immigrants, with approximately 70% of people of foreign origin making up the region’s population. Approximately 32% of residents are of non-Belgian European origin, and 36% are of other backgrounds, mostly Moroccan, Turkish, and Sub-Saharan African. The two largest foreign groups in Brussels are from France and Morocco. This is unlike the rest of Belgium, which is primarily comprised of the Flemish, Walloon and Italian groups.

Brussels is a bilingual region with French and Dutch being the official languages.

Brussels is predominantly Roman Catholic, with about 40% of inhabitants identifying as Roman Catholic. Because of the large number of immigrants and Brussels’s multicultural makeup, there are a variety of religious communities including Muslims and atheists. Approximately 23% of Brussels inhabitants are of Islamic faith, and 30% identify as atheist.

The average age in Brussels is younger than the rest of the country with an average age of 37.5.

Brussels History

Brussels was officially founded in 979 when a castle was built near the Senne River.

In the middle of the 11th century, city walls were built and Brussels grew throughout the Middle Ages due to its strategic location on the Bruges-Ghent-Cologne trade route.

After Brussels was attacked by French king Louis XIV in 1695, various foreign powers took control throughout the years. On July 21, 1831, Leopold I ascended to the throne, becoming Belgium’s first king and Brussels was named the capital of the new kingdom.

The new kingdom went through a phase of rebuilding, including the establishment of international congresses and scientific organizations. Foreign artists, philosophers, and scientist found their way to Brussels, including Karl Marx and Victor Hugo.

Brussels experienced significant damage during World War II but was able to recover and continue to develop in the following years. Belgium is currently split into three semi-independent regions: Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region. Brussels has become the “capital” of the European Union and NATO.

Brussels Population Growth

Brussels is currently growing at a rate of 0.67%. The population grew from 1,180,000 in 2015 to 1,219,970 in 2020, an increase of 39,970 people.

By 2035, the population is projected to grow to 2,214,691 at a decreased growth rate of 0.30%.

Country
Belgium
Growth Rate
0.48%

86 Rows

Year
Population
20352,214,690
20342,208,580
20332,202,260
20322,195,720
20312,188,950
20302,181,920
20292,174,540
20282,166,780
20272,158,700
20262,150,320
20252,141,520
20242,132,180
20232,121,990
20222,109,630
20212,095,690
20202,080,790
20192,065,280
20182,049,510
20172,033,710
20162,018,040
20152,002,440
20141,986,990
20131,971,650
20121,956,450
20111,941,330
20101,926,350
20091,911,480
20081,896,750
20071,882,090
20061,867,560
20051,853,150
20041,838,860
20031,824,650
20021,810,570
20011,796,590
20001,782,750
19991,768,970
19981,755,320
19971,741,770
19961,728,340
19951,714,980
19941,711,060
19931,707,160
19921,703,260
19911,699,360
19901,695,480
19891,691,600
19881,687,740
19871,683,880
19861,680,030
19851,676,200
19841,672,370
19831,668,540
19821,664,730
19811,660,930
19801,653,780
19791,644,960
19781,636,200
19771,627,490
19761,618,840
19751,610,210
19741,601,640
19731,593,110
19721,584,640
19711,576,190
19701,567,640
19691,558,970
19681,550,360
19671,541,770
19661,533,250
19651,524,770
19641,516,350
19631,507,950
19621,499,610
19611,491,850
19601,484,680
19591,477,510
19581,470,400
19571,463,310
19561,456,270
19551,449,250
19541,442,260
19531,435,320
19521,428,410
19511,421,520
19501,414,670

86 Rows

Year
Population
Change
Growth
19501,414,6700%0
19511,421,5200.48%6,850
19521,428,4100.48%6,890
19531,435,3200.48%6,910
19541,442,2600.48%6,940
19551,449,2500.48%6,990
19561,456,2700.48%7,020
19571,463,3100.48%7,040
19581,470,4000.48%7,090
19591,477,5100.48%7,110
19601,484,6800.49%7,170
19611,491,8500.48%7,170
19621,499,6100.52%7,760
19631,507,9500.56%8,340
19641,516,3500.56%8,400
19651,524,7700.56%8,420
19661,533,2500.56%8,480
19671,541,7700.56%8,520
19681,550,3600.56%8,590
19691,558,9700.56%8,610
19701,567,6400.56%8,670
19711,576,1900.55%8,550
19721,584,6400.54%8,450
19731,593,1100.53%8,470
19741,601,6400.54%8,530
19751,610,2100.54%8,570
19761,618,8400.54%8,630
19771,627,4900.53%8,650
19781,636,2000.54%8,710
19791,644,9600.54%8,760
19801,653,7800.54%8,820
19811,660,9300.43%7,150
19821,664,7300.23%3,800
19831,668,5400.23%3,810
19841,672,3700.23%3,830
19851,676,2000.23%3,830
19861,680,0300.23%3,830
19871,683,8800.23%3,850
19881,687,7400.23%3,860
19891,691,6000.23%3,860
19901,695,4800.23%3,880
19911,699,3600.23%3,880
19921,703,2600.23%3,900
19931,707,1600.23%3,900
19941,711,0600.23%3,900
19951,714,9800.23%3,920
19961,728,3400.78%13,360
19971,741,7700.78%13,430
19981,755,3200.78%13,550
19991,768,9700.78%13,650
20001,782,7500.78%13,780
20011,796,5900.78%13,840
20021,810,5700.78%13,980
20031,824,6500.78%14,080
20041,838,8600.78%14,210
20051,853,1500.78%14,290
20061,867,5600.78%14,410
20071,882,0900.78%14,530
20081,896,7500.78%14,660
20091,911,4800.78%14,730
20101,926,3500.78%14,870
20111,941,3300.78%14,980
20121,956,4500.78%15,120
20131,971,6500.78%15,200
20141,986,9900.78%15,340
20152,002,4400.78%15,450
20162,018,0400.78%15,600
20172,033,7100.78%15,670
20182,049,5100.78%15,800
20192,065,2800.77%15,770
20202,080,7900.75%15,510
20212,095,6900.72%14,900
20222,109,6300.67%13,940
20232,121,9900.59%12,360
20242,132,1800.48%10,190
20252,141,5200.44%9,340
20262,150,3200.41%8,800
20272,158,7000.39%8,380
20282,166,7800.37%8,080
20292,174,5400.36%7,760
20302,181,9200.34%7,380
20312,188,9500.32%7,030
20322,195,7200.31%6,770
20332,202,2600.3%6,540
20342,208,5800.29%6,320
20352,214,6900.28%6,110

Brussels Population Data (Urban Area)

Name
2024 Pop.
2024 Growth
Brussels2,132,1800.48%
Antwerp1,061,0900.37%
Liege686,5230.29%
Gent477,0520.45%
Charleroi418,0870.26%

Other Cities in Belgium

  1. Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis - Population and demographic projections
  2. Brussels Studies - The population of Brussels: a demographic overview

Sources