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Living in Achel

The city faced an unemployment rate of 4.94% at the start of 2011. Achel recorded annual PM2.5 of 9 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-10-0725 sources

Population5,486people1 Jan 2025Official source · Population by statistical sector 2025
Median gross salary (region)3,711EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022
Median rent890EUR/month31 Dec 2025Municipality figureOfficial source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate4.94%1 Jan 2011Municipality figureIndependent source · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011
Recorded crime4,105incidents per 100,000country median 5,167 — 21% belowOfficial source · Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025
PM2.5, annual mean9µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · European Environment Agency (EEA)

Less recorded crime than 76% of Belgian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 97% of Belgian cities that publish it.

Which Belgium-wide rules apply when you move to Achel?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in BelgiumNational rates and thresholds that apply in Achel.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Achel recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited59.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Internet Go11Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi12Official · national market
Median monthly rent890 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official · parent municipality

Is Achel a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 40–68%
Skilled employee58%strong on work, weak on education · range 46–70%
Student38%strong on cost, weak on education · range 25–51%
Family54%strong on family, weak on education · range 43–65%
Retirement54%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 41–67%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Achel?

The unemployment rate is about 4.9 % (January 2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 4.94 % · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201123
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Achel is 4.9%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings4,028 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202213Official · regional context
Median gross salary (regional)3,711 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202214Official · regional context
Unemployment rate4.94 %1 Jan 2011Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201123Independent · parent municipality

What does a salary buy in Achel?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €3,711 (Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€1,487of €2,487 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€2,487
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 · 2025-12-31− €890
Internet€60 · official · Proximus Internet Go · 2026-09-30− €60
Mobile plan€50 · official · Proximus Mobile Maxi · 2026-09-30− €50
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€1,487
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Achel Salary needed to live in Achel

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Achel. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Actiris — Public employment service

Actiris Brussels public employment service

Job Search
Search jobs

Le Forem — Public employment service

Le Forem Walloon public employment and training service

Job SearchRegistration
Register Search jobs
Open the Belgium service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Achel. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Achel?

Police recorded about 4,105 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 202515

Recorded crime across major citiesAchel highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Achel highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Brussels24,104
Liège17,918
Ixelles14,236
Charleroi14,026
Leuven12,730
Ghent12,110
Anderlecht11,116
Schaerbeek10,141
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean10,075
Hasselt9,031
Namur8,912
Brugge8,780
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents4,105 incidents per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2025Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 202515Official

Mobility and administration

Achel's nearest airport was LGG, 68 km away and offered 7 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport7 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights8Official
Distance to the nearest major airport68 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports9Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)LGG3 Aug 2026OurAirports9Official

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperature moved from 3.3°C in January to 19.1°C in July. Achel's monthly precipitation totalled 67.8 mm in January and 72.7 mm in July. Achel's average monthly sunshine was 69 hours in January and 213.2 hours in July.

Is the air quality good in Achel?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA)2

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in BelgiumAnnual PM2.5 in Achel is 9.0 µg/m³. Of 442 cities with data, 142 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean9 µg/m³31 Dec 2024European Environment Agency (EEA)2Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 6.3 · Feb 7.5 · Mar 11.6 · Apr 16.3 · May 20 · Jun 22.8 · Jul 24.9 · Aug 24.5 · Sep 20.7 · Oct 15.6 · Nov 10.2 · Dec 6.6 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO3Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.3 · Feb 0.1 · Mar 1.7 · Apr 4 · May 8.2 · Jun 11.2 · Jul 13.3 · Aug 12.6 · Sep 9.6 · Oct 6.6 · Nov 3.4 · Dec 1.1 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO4Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.3 · Feb 3.8 · Mar 6.6 · Apr 10.2 · May 14.1 · Jun 17 · Jul 19.1 · Aug 18.5 · Sep 15.1 · Oct 11.1 · Nov 6.8 · Dec 3.9 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO5Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 67.8 · Feb 64.1 · Mar 56 · Apr 45.6 · May 57.7 · Jun 72.7 · Jul 72.7 · Aug 80.5 · Sep 60.3 · Oct 61.5 · Nov 71.1 · Dec 85.3 mm31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO6Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 69 · Feb 87.9 · Mar 139.8 · Apr 186.4 · May 214.4 · Jun 209 · Jul 213.2 · Aug 199.1 · Sep 161 · Oct 122.4 · Nov 73.4 · Dec 56.5 hours31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO7Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Belgium: Leuven ±0.8 °C. Elsewhere: Reims (France) ±0.3 °C, Werl (Germany) ±0.6 °C, Cologne (Germany) ±0.2 °C, Bergisch Gladbach (Germany) ±0.2 °C, Bruehl (Germany) ±0.2 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Achel?

The published population was 5,486 people in January 2025. Source: Population by statistical sector 202510

MetricValuePeriodSource
Population5,486 people1 Jan 2025Population by statistical sector 202510Official

Alternatives for people set on Achel

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Cities near Achel

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Hamont-Achel 3.8 km away
Rent
890 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Pelt 5.9 km away
Rent
850 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31

Alternative cities in Belgium

Other cities in Belgium to compare with Achel, nearest in population first.

All Belgium cities
Ruiselede5,484 residentsBullange5,479 residentsHekelgem5,496 residentsBeverst5,475 residentsGlabbeek5,475 residentsKnesselare5,501 residents

How does Achel compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Achel's.

Open the full comparison

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Achel when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 18. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: OKAN/OKATN (onthaalonderwijs, reception education for foreign-mother-tongue newcomers). How to enrol a child (belgium.be).

A country-wide rule for Belgium; Achel's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Put Achel's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Achel?

The published population was 5,486 people in January 2025. Source: Population by statistical sector 2025.

Is the air quality good in Achel?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA).

How safe is Achel?

Police recorded about 4,105 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025.

What is the unemployment rate in Achel?

The unemployment rate is about 4.9 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011.

What is the typical salary around Achel?

The median gross salary is 3,711 EUR/month. Source: Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022.

Is Achel a good place to live?

Achel may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Achel?

Hamont-Achel, Neerpelt, Hamont, Pelt, Overpelt are near Achel. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Achel, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 3ca022999fac91f79d8bbdcf4220397b]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/achel/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_achel-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_5e1470bb7134,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Achel, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {3ca022999fac91f79d8bbdcf4220397b},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/achel/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Achel, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/achel/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 3ca022999fac91f79d8bbdcf4220397b; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 opendata.fin.belgium.be · checked 2026-09-23
  2. European Environment Agency (EEA) air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-06
  3. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  6. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  7. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  8. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  9. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  10. Population by statistical sector 2025 services9.arcgis.com · checked 2026-09-24
Show 15 more sources
  1. Proximus Internet Go proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  2. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  3. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  4. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  5. Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025 police.be · checked 2026-10-05
  6. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  7. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  8. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  9. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  10. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  13. Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011 Statbel be.STAT · bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-26
  14. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q42878311 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  15. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q499599 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.