Schaerbeek Between Stability and Change: A Transforming Population

Between 2018 and 2024, Schaerbeek experienced demographic changes. The number of households increased from 55,025 to 55,378. However, the average number of people per household decreased from 2.4 in 2018 to 2.3 in 2024, reflecting in a lower number of residents in the municipality.

A Growing Diversity

Schaerbeek has always been a cosmopolitan municipality, and this diversity continues to grow. In 2018, there were 160 different nationalities represented. Six years later, that number has risen to 165. The ranking of the top ten most represented nationalities remains largely the same, although some have shifted positions. In 2018, Bulgarians were in first place, followed by Romanians, Moroccans, and French nationals. In 2024, Bulgarians remain at the top, but the French have moved into second place, pushing Romanians to third.

Sometimes a change in nationality comes down to very little—one person from Qatar left us, but we gained two people from Bahrain and three from Bhutan.

Another notable change: the Spanish presence has grown, moving from 7th to 5th place, while the Polish community has seen a significant drop, falling three places. The Indian population -often expats in the IT business- has increased by 25%, a trend that could be explained, according to a Voka study, by the use of English at municipal service counters. The Latin American population, including people from Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, is also growing. However, the most dramatic increase concerns Ukrainians, whose numbers have skyrocketed from 90 in 2018 to 1,166 in 2024, largely due to the migration crisis triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The data also show a rise in the number of centenarians, which has more than doubled in six years. In 2024, Schaerbeek now has 21 residents aged 100 or more (compared to 10 in 2018). Meanwhile, the number of deceases has significantly decreased. "It really is good living in Schaerbeek," says Quentin van den Hove enthusiastically.

Additionally, the number of gender changes officially recorded in the civil registry has increased, with 25 people having legally changed their gender in 2024. This signals the breaking of a taboo—proof that you can be yourself in Schaerbeek.

These developments reflect profound shifts in Schaerbeek’s demographic structure. The increase in the number of households and the decrease in household size highlight changing lifestyles, while the growing number of nationalities and the reshuffling of the top ten reflect Schaerbeek’s ongoing attractiveness