Good to know
Good to Know
- Brussels is one of the most multicultural cities in Europe, with residents from 181 different nationalities speaking over 100 languages
- Population is younger on average than the rest of Belgium (median age 37 vs. 42.5 nationally), contributing to a vibrant, diverse cultural scene
- Non-Belgian residents make up 37.2% of the Brussels Capital Region's population, significantly higher than elsewhere in Belgium (Flanders 10.8%, Wallonia 11%)
- Strong EU institutional presence as home to major EU institutions attracts professionals from across Europe, particularly French nationals and growing Eastern European communities
- International migration is the primary driver of population growth; natural birth rates are declining but offset by immigration
Population
- Year
- 2026
- Metro Area
- 2150000
- City Proper
- 195546
- Brussels Capital Region
- 1255795
- Source Note
- City proper refers to City of Brussels municipality; Brussels Capital Region is the administrative region; metro area encompasses greater Brussels
Growth Rate
- Annual Percentage
- 0.67
- Note
- Population growing at approximately 0.67% annually; growth is primarily immigration-driven
Total Languages
100
Age Demographics
- Brussels Median Age
- 37
- Note
- Notably younger than Belgian national average of 42.5 years
Non EU Residents
- Population
- 170562
Largest Groups
- Morocco (2.8%)
- Ukraine (2.8%)
- Syria (2.2%)
European Residents
- Percentage Of Population
- Approximately 23%
- Non Belgian EU Nationals
- 287590
- Note
- Nearly doubled over 20 years
Total Nationalities
181
Notable Nationalities
French
- Rank
- 1
- Population
- 70800
- Context
- Largest European community
Romanian
- Rank
- 2
- Population
- 46600
- Context
- Growing community; average age 32, predominantly male
Italian
- Rank
- 3
- Population
- 36700
- Context
- Established since 1990s; average age around 40
Moroccan
- Rank
- 4
- Population
- 33200
- Context
- Largest non-European community; 7.3% of non-EU residents
Ukrainian
- Rank
- 5
- Population
- Notable increase post-2022
- Context
- Eighth most common foreign nationality; significant growth since Russian invasion
Portuguese
- Rank
- 6
- Population
- Growing steadily
- Context
- Increasing community presence
Polish
- Rank
- 7
- Population
- Growing steadily
- Context
- Increasing community presence
Foreign Born And Origin
- Non Belgian Percentage
- 37.2
- Foreign Origin Percentage
- 70
- Non Belgian Population
- 464629
- Note
- Belgium does not collect ethnic statistics; figures classify residents by citizenship status and ancestry origin
Business And Tech Presence
- Tech Ecosystem
- Developing startup and innovation ecosystem (specific venue/company data not retrieved in the sources we checked)
- EU Institutional Role
- Houses most European Union institutions; known as 'capital of Europe'
- Note
- Brussels serves as major institutional and business hub for EU; tech scene details require additional research
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Brussels
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.