Brussels Governance MonitorPoverty: Brussels, the hardest-hit capital region in the EU
At risk of poverty or social exclusion rate (AROPE)
| Entity | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BE1 | 28.8% | 31 December 2023 |
| AT1 | 17.3% | 31 December 2023 |
| FR1 | 14.8% | 31 December 2023 |
| DE3 | 13.7% | 31 December 2023 |
| NL3 | 13.6% | 31 December 2023 |
Methodology
Comparison of the AROPE rate (At Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion) at NUTS-1 level, based on the EU-SILC survey harmonised by Eurostat. The AROPE indicator combines three dimensions: monetary poverty risk (income below 60% of national median income), severe material and social deprivation, and very low work intensity. Data are published at NUTS-1 level, which means that some comparison regions are larger than the capital city alone.
Comparability limitations
Data are at NUTS-1 level, not NUTS-2. For Brussels (BE1), Berlin (DE3) and Île-de-France (FR1), NUTS-1 corresponds de facto to the capital region. By contrast, AT1 (Ostösterreich) encompasses Wien but also Lower Austria and Burgenland, and NL3 (West-Nederland) includes the provinces of Utrecht, South Holland and Noord-Holland — these values are therefore diluted compared to the capital city alone. The poverty threshold is calculated relative to national median income, which can produce divergent results in countries with large regional disparities.
Context
The AROPE rate (At Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion) is the European Union's reference indicator for measuring socio-economic vulnerability. It combines three complementary dimensions: monetary poverty, severe material deprivation, and very low household work intensity. Eurostat publishes these data at NUTS-1 level through the EU-SILC survey.
The data compared
With an AROPE rate of 28.8% in 2023, Brussels-Capital stands out sharply from other European capital regions. The Brussels rate is:
- More than double that of Berlin (13.7%) and West-Nederland (13.6%)
- Nearly double that of Île-de-France (14.8%)
- 67% higher than that of Ostösterreich (17.3%), which itself includes less affluent rural areas
Nearly 3 out of 10 Brussels residents live at risk of poverty or social exclusion — a figure that contrasts with the highest GDP per capita of all these regions.
The paradox confirmed
This comparison reinforces the "Brussels paradox" already visible in GDP data: the region that produces the most wealth per capita is also the one that concentrates the most poverty. Several factors explain this situation:
- The commuter effect: wealth produced in Brussels largely benefits non-residents who redistribute across the Flemish and Walloon peripheries.
- Demographic structure: Brussels concentrates a young, diverse and partly low-skilled population in a labour market that demands bilingualism.
- Housing costs: with an average private rent of EUR 1,346 per month and a homeownership rate of only 40%, housing absorbs a disproportionate share of modest households' income.
- Institutional deadlock: the absence of a regional government since June 2024 prevents any structural policy response to this vulnerability.
The weight of material deprivation
Beyond the monetary poverty threshold, 38.3% of Brussels residents report being unable to face an unexpected expense of EUR 1,100, compared with 13.2% in Flanders. This concrete vulnerability translates into difficulties accessing healthcare, housing and quality food.
Limitations of the comparison
The NUTS-1 level produces unequal perimeters. For Brussels, Berlin and Île-de-France, NUTS-1 corresponds to the capital region. For Austria and the Netherlands, NUTS-1 encompasses larger territories, which dilutes the results. A comparison strictly limited to capital cities would likely show higher poverty rates for Wien and Amsterdam than those presented here.
Sources
- Eurostat, EU-SILC — At risk of poverty or social exclusion rate by NUTS-1 region (ilc_li41), 2023 data, extracted February 2026
- Statbel, EU-SILC 2025 — Belgian regional data
- Observatory of Health and Social Affairs, Social Barometer 2025
Source: Eurostat — ilc_li41
Last updated: 10 February 2026