Economy, jobs and prices in Flanders, Belgium: official figures
GDP per person was 47,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 120% of the EU average; 2nd highest of 3 regions in Belgium. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Flanders?
The regional economy produced €367.5 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 59.2% of Belgium's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Flanders?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 4.3% in 2025, against 6.2% for Belgium and 6.0% across the EU; the lowest of 3 regions in Belgium.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Flanders?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 13.5% in 2025, against 17.4% for Belgium; the lowest of 3 regions in Belgium.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Flanders spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 3.50% of GDP in 2023 (3.24% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average income in Flanders?
Net taxable income averaged €24,957 per resident in Flanders in income year 2023, 7% above the Belgian average of €23,352; that was the highest of the 3 regions.
Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office) · saved copyWhat is the average income per tax return in Flanders?
4,217,621 income tax returns were filed by residents of Flanders for income year 2023, with an average net taxable income of €40,366 per return (the highest among the 3 regions; Belgian average €37,275).
Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office) · saved copyHow many people in Flanders are long-term unemployed?
In 2025, 0.8% of the labour force in Flanders had been unemployed for 12 months or more (Belgium: 2.0%; EU: 1.9%). In 2015 it was 2.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate for women in Flanders?
Unemployment among women was 3.6% in 2025 (Belgium: 5.6%; EU: 6.2%). In 2015 it was 4.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Flanders are in work?
The employment rate for women aged 20 to 64 reached 74.3% in 2025 (Belgium: 69.3%; EU: 71.3%). In 2015 it was 68.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyIs the economy of Flanders growing?
Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by 0.7% in 2024, against 1.0% for Belgium as a whole. In 2014 it was 1.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Flanders?
There were 539 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2024, against 513 for Belgium as a whole. In 2014 it was 515.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Flanders?
Employers paid an average of €48,791 per employee in 2024, counting wages, salaries and employer social contributions, against €49,723 across Belgium.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Flanders?
Hotels, campsites and other tourist accommodation recorded 28.8 million nights in 2025, 45% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Flanders?
The largest part of the economy of Flanders in 2024 was finance, property and business services, at 30.2% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (24.7%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Flanders?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 17.5% of output in 2024, against 15.3% for Belgium.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Flanders growing?
Gross value added rose from €216.5 billion in 2015 to €332.6 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 54% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Flanders?
Of the 3,021,400 jobs located in Flanders in 2024, 30% in public services, education, health and other services, 13% in industry and 1.3% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Flanders?
The number of people working in Flanders rose by 12.2% between 2015 and 2024, to 3,021,400.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Average net taxable income per resident in Flanders rose by 37.4% between income years 2013 and 2023, from €18,163 to €24,957 (Belgium: +37.2%), the fastest growth of the 3 regions. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office) · saved copy
- Residents of Flanders declared 170.25 billion euros of net taxable income in 2023, 62.0% of the Belgian total, while they made up 58.0% of the population counted in the tax statistics. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office) · saved copy
- Earnings from work, pensions and benefits (professional income) made up 98.2% of net taxable income in Flanders in 2023, and taxable real estate income 1.4% (Belgium: 98.0% and 1.5%). Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office) · saved copy
How Flanders compares with other regions
Net taxable income per resident (2023)
Flanders ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Net taxable income per resident |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanders | €24,957 |
| 2 | Wallonia | €22,020 |
| 3 | Brussels-Capital Region | €18,529 |
Growth in net taxable income per resident, 2013-2023 (2023)
Flanders ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Growth in net taxable income per resident, 2013-2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanders | 37.4% |
| 2 | Brussels-Capital Region | 37.0% |
| 3 | Wallonia | 36.7% |
Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) (2025)
Flanders ranks 3 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brussels-Capital Region | 5.8% |
| 2 | Wallonia | 2.9% |
| 3 | Flanders | 0.8% |
Unemployment rate, women (2025)
Flanders ranks 3 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, women |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brussels-Capital Region | 11.5% |
| 2 | Wallonia | 7.7% |
| 3 | Flanders | 3.6% |
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Flanders ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanders | 74.3% |
| 2 | Wallonia | 64.0% |
| 3 | Brussels-Capital Region | 58.9% |
Real growth in gross value added (2024)
Flanders ranks 3 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real growth in gross value added |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brussels-Capital Region | 1.4% |
| 2 | Wallonia | 1.2% |
| 3 | Flanders | 0.7% |
Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)
Flanders ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanders | 539 |
| 2 | Wallonia | 506 |
| 3 | Brussels-Capital Region | 389 |
Compensation per employee (euros) (2024)
Flanders ranks 2 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Compensation per employee (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brussels-Capital Region | €59,198 |
| 2 | Flanders | €48,791 |
| 3 | Wallonia | €46,131 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Flanders ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanders | 28.8 million |
| 2 | Wallonia | 9.9 million |
| 3 | Brussels-Capital Region | 7.4 million |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Flanders ranks 2 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wallonia | 17.8% |
| 2 | Flanders | 17.5% |
| 3 | Brussels-Capital Region | 4.7% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Flanders ranks 2 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brussels-Capital Region | 41.5% |
| 2 | Flanders | 30.2% |
| 3 | Wallonia | 26.6% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Flanders ranks 3 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wallonia | 29.8% |
| 2 | Brussels-Capital Region | 29.3% |
| 3 | Flanders | 20.3% |
More on Flanders: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Belgium
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP (million euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3677c4e6d67…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rate (age 15-74), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 13f5037ce93a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Youth unemployment rate (age 15-24), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83bb1aebc10b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rate (age 20-64), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03191283bf5f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset rd_e_gerdreg: Research and development spending (% of GDP), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36a9132b2284…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rates by sex, age, educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ac151d8a46d5…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rates by sex, age and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 51bfca80dc8b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_vehst: Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5adf37bcb393…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gvagr: Real growth rate of regional gross value added (GVA) at basic prices by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ba2c4bdc7c37…)
- 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…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2coe: Compensation of employees by NUTS 2 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 895d7cc9e826…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tour_occ_nin2: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 06f6a82909c0…)
- 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…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu2ltu: Long-term unemployment (12 months and more) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d5d17a32863…)
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