Brussels Governance MonitorPopulation density: Brussels, the densest capital region in the EU
Population density (inhabitants/km²)
| Entity | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BE10 | 7,770 pop/km² | 31 December 2023 |
| AT13 | 5,035 pop/km² | 31 December 2023 |
| DE30 | 4,312 pop/km² | 31 December 2023 |
| FR10 | 1,039 pop/km² | 31 December 2023 |
| NL32 | 1,079 pop/km² | 31 December 2023 |
Methodology
Comparison of population density at NUTS-2 level, calculated by Eurostat as the ratio of the resident population on 1 January to the territory's surface area in km². The data are derived from national population registers. Comparability is affected by the wide disparity in NUTS-2 region sizes: Brussels-Capital covers only 161 km² compared with 12,012 km² for Île-de-France.
Comparability limitations
Population density is heavily influenced by each region's NUTS-2 perimeter. Brussels-Capital (161 km²) is an exclusively urban region, whereas Île-de-France (12,012 km²) and Noord-Holland (2,670 km²) include rural and peri-urban areas that mechanically reduce their average density. The density of inner Paris (~20,000 pop/km²) is well above that of Brussels, but the NUTS-2 perimeter dilutes this concentration. Wien (415 km²) and Berlin (891 km²) are intermediate cases.
Context
Population density is a fundamental indicator for understanding urban challenges: housing pressure, mobility, air quality, green spaces and social cohesion. Eurostat publishes densities at NUTS-2 level, enabling a standardised comparison across European capital regions.
The data compared
At 7,770 inhabitants per km², the Brussels-Capital Region is the densest NUTS-2 region among the five capitals compared:
- 54% denser than Wien (5,035 pop/km²)
- 80% denser than Berlin (4,312 pop/km²)
- 7 times denser than Île-de-France (1,039 pop/km²) and Noord-Holland (1,079 pop/km²)
This extreme density is explained by the small size of the Brussels territory (161 km² across 19 municipalities) and the absence of peri-urban zones within its statistical perimeter.
Implications for regional policy
Brussels' high density has direct consequences for public policy:
- Housing: land pressure makes Brussels one of the tightest property markets in Europe. Overcrowding affects 31% of Brussels residents (compared with 5.7% as the Belgian average), a ratio directly linked to density and housing costs.
- Mobility: the population concentration generates intense travel flows, compounded by the 360,000 daily commuters. Traffic congestion and air quality are directly affected.
- Green spaces: despite greening efforts, the amount of green space per inhabitant remains low compared with less dense capitals such as Berlin or Wien.
- Social cohesion: density concentrates socio-economic challenges — poverty, linguistic diversity, social mix — in a confined space, making integration policies both more urgent and more complex.
Demographic dynamics
With 1,255,795 inhabitants as of 1 January 2025, Brussels continues to grow (+0.49% in 2024), albeit at a slowing pace. The Region is the only one in Belgium where the natural balance remains positive (+5,330), but the internal exodus towards Flanders and Wallonia (-17,993 people in 2024) reflects a structural departure of middle-income households, driven out by housing costs.
Limitations of the comparison
The NUTS-2 perimeter produces major disparities. Inner Paris (~20,000 pop/km²) is far denser than Brussels, but Île-de-France as a whole, which includes the outer suburbs, shows a density seven times lower. The comparison is therefore more relevant between regions of similar size (Brussels, Wien, Berlin) than between regions with vastly different perimeters.
Sources
- Eurostat, Population density by NUTS-2 region (demo_r_d3dens), 2023 data, extracted February 2026
- Statbel, Population as of 1 January 2025
- IBSA, Housing conditions and overcrowding 2024
Source: Eurostat — demo_r_d3dens
Last updated: 10 February 2026