Arr. Oostende: population, economy and official figures
Arr. Oostende is a arrondissement in Flanders, Belgium. Arr. Oostende had 161,284 residents on 1 January 2025, 2.3% of Flanders and 1.36% of Belgium; 23rd largest of 44 arrondissements in Belgium.
161,284
550.9
50.5
29.2%
293
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Arr. Oostende: GDP per person was 39,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 99% of the EU average (117% for Belgium); 17th highest of 44 arrondissements in Belgium.
- Poverty and living standards in Arr. Oostende: 3.8% of the tax returns filed in the Oostende arrondissement for 2023 declared no taxable income at all, the 10th lowest share of the 44 Belgian arrondissements (Belgium: 7.1%).
- Government budget and revenue in Arr. Oostende: Personal income tax assessed on the 2023 incomes of the Oostende arrondissement totalled 822 million euros, or €5,136 per resident, the 22nd lowest of the 44 Belgian arrondissements (Belgium: €5,342).
- Government and politics in Arr. Oostende: Vlaams Belang topped the Flemish Parliament vote in the Oostende arrondissement on 9 June 2024 with 27.1% of valid list votes, ahead of N-VA (21.2%) and Vooruit (17.5%).
Is the population of Arr. Oostende growing?
That is 4.1% more people than in 2015 (154,924).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Arr. Oostende?
There were 550.9 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Arr. Oostende?
The median age was 50.5 years in 2025, against 42.1 for Belgium; 2nd highest of 44 arrondissements in Belgium.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Arr. Oostende?
29.2% of residents were 65 or older and 12.8% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Arr. Oostende?
In 2024 there were 1,203 live births and 2,164 deaths, a natural decrease of 961.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Arr. Oostende?
It covers 293 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Arr. Oostende?
The net migration rate was +11.3 per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -6.0 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from Belgium's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other arrondissements in Flanders
- Arr. Antwerpen 1,101,687
- Arr. Halle-Vilvoorde 674,772
- Arr. Gent 583,606
- Arr. Leuven 530,971
- Arr. Turnhout 483,806
- Arr. Hasselt 436,040
- Arr. Mechelen 362,480
- Arr. Aalst 307,873
- Arr. Kortrijk 304,883
- Arr. Brugge 288,078
- Arr. Sint-Niklaas 267,496
- Arr. Maaseik 261,761
- Arr. Tongeren 211,654
- Arr. Dendermonde 208,652
- Arr. Roeselare 160,971
- Arr. Oudenaarde 128,922
- Arr. Ieper 109,063
- Arr. Tielt 96,253
- Arr. Eeklo 89,887
- Arr. Veurne 61,392
- Arr. Diksmuide 52,740
Up a level: Flanders · all regions of Belgium · how local power works in Belgium
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- FPS Home Affairs, Elections directorate: Elections of 9 June 2024: official results by commune (Flemish, Walloon and Brussels parliaments, Chamber and European Parliament), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 df4c8c932aff…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- Statbel (Belgian statistical office): Fiscal statistics on income subject to personal income tax, by municipality of residence, income years 2005-2023 (TF_PSNL_INC_TAX_MUNTY), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5ff459c06f5f…)
- FPS Home Affairs, Elections directorate: Elections of 9 June 2024, Flemish Parliament: electoral figures of the lists by constituency and seat distribution, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f6c0dff6e230…)
- Statbel (Belgian statistical office): Equivalent administrative disposable income and administrative risk of poverty by municipality, income years 2015-2023 (DataLab), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8fd608fc02ca…)
- Statbel (Belgian statistical office): Real estate sales according to the nature of the property in the deed of sale, by municipality, arrondissement, province and region, 2010-2026, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd4fa1121df7…)
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