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Living in Charleroi

In Charleroi, the median rent tenants pay is €650 a month (2025).

Charleroi had 206,900 residents at the start of 2026 and is a city in Belgium. For Charleroi, the unemployment rate was 21.2% at the start of 2011.

Last checked 2026-10-1041 sources

Population206,900people1 Jan 2026Official source · Belgium official denominator source
Median gross salary (region)3,540EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022
Median rent650EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate21.2%country median 5.3% — 297% aboveIndependent source · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011
Recorded crime14,026offences per 100,000country median 5,167 — 171% aboveIndependent source · Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025
PM2.5, annual mean6.93µg/m³country median 7.4 — 6% belowOfficial source · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31

Higher unemployment than any other Belgian city that publishes it and more recorded crime than any other Belgian city that publishes it.

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

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 Charleroi.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Charleroi recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€358
Utilities, 85 m² flat€203
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
Internet, 60 Mbps€40
Transport pass€30
Fitness club€30

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Transport pass, Fitness club. The others are published prices.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly29.85 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v239Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited39.99 EUR/month31 Oct 2026Internet Light Fiber8Official · national market
Private kindergarten, monthly358.3 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v239Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant14.93 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v239Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi20Official · national market
Monthly transport pass30.35 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v239Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home203.3 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v239Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings90,400 dwellings1 Jan 2021Statbel Census 2021 municipality housing units24Official
Main residence dwellings90,337 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics — Statistics Belgium)23Official
Median monthly rent650 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official

Is Charleroi 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 worker60%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–68%
Skilled employee65%strong on work, weak on safety · range 57–73%
Student55%strong on education, weak on safety · range 48–62%
Family55%strong on family, weak on safety · range 47–63%
Retirement56%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 46–66%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Charleroi?

The unemployment rate is 21.2 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201140

Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Charleroi is 21.2%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings3,794 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202221Official · regional context
Gigabit broadband availability99.8 %Jun 2025BIPT/IBPT fixed broadband Atlas municipality row: H_rate_1000 is the share of households with access to fixed broadband at a maximum attainable speed of at least 1,000 Mbps; availability, not subscribed plan or measured speed. H_1000 is the covered-household count and total_households is the denominator.3Official
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Le Forem — Service clientèle de Charleroi9Official
Median gross salary (regional)3,540 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202222Official · regional context
Unemployment rate21.2 %country median 5.3%1 Jan 2011Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201140Independent
Unemployment rate over time10 published observations, 2011–2023

Unemployment rate fell 32.5% between 2011 and 2023, from 21.2% to 14.3%.

What does a salary buy in Charleroi?

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

regional median gross pay: €3,540 (Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€1,438of €2,412 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Transport
  • 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.€2,412
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 · 2025-12-31− €650
Public transport pass€30 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €30
Utilities, 85 m²€203 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €203
Internet€40 · official · Internet Light Fiber · 2026-10-31− €40
Mobile plan€50 · official · Proximus Mobile Maxi · 2026-09-30− €50
Left over€1,438
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Charleroi Salary needed to live in Charleroi

Public employment offices in Charleroi

Le Forem lists 1 public employment office in Charleroi (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

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

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools314 schools31 Oct 2025FASE 2025/26 official school establishment register6Official

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; Charleroi's school authority applies it locally.

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

Safety

How safe is Charleroi?

Police recorded about 14,026 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 14,026 offences per 100,000 · Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 202530
Recorded crime across major citiesCharleroi highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Charleroi 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 residents14,026 offences per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2025Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 202530Independent

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport83 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights17Official
Nearest airportCRL3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official
Distance to nearest airport6 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official
Public transport monthly pass37 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Eurostat4Official

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 6.93 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Annual NO₂ was 12.5 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Is the air quality good in Charleroi?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

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

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 6.93 µg/m³ · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3116
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
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 Charleroi is 6.9 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
NO₂ — annual mean12.49 µg/m³country median 9.031 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 11055; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3114Official
PM10 — annual mean12.95 µg/m³country median 13.1 — about the same31 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 13019; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3115Official
PM2.5 — annual mean6.93 µg/m³country median 7.431 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3116Official
Annual mean temperature (modelled)9.9 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Annual precipitation (modelled)774.3 mm/year2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January mean temperature (modelled)2.03 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January minimum temperature (modelled)-12.49 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July maximum temperature (modelled)37.61 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July mean temperature (modelled)18.05 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Daily precipitation rate (modelled)2.12 mm/day2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Solar exposure (modelled)3.04 kWh/m²/day2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Average daytime high by monthJan 5.6 · Feb 6.6 · Mar 10.5 · Apr 14.6 · May 18.2 · Jun 21.2 · Jul 23.4 · Aug 23.2 · Sep 19.4 · Oct 14.7 · Nov 9.4 · Dec 6.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station CHARLEROIGOSSELIES_06449.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.6 · Feb 0.6 · Mar 2.5 · Apr 4.9 · May 8.5 · Jun 11.5 · Jul 13.6 · Aug 13.3 · Sep 10.3 · Oct 7.3 · Nov 3.9 · Dec 1.4 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station CHARLEROIGOSSELIES_06449.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.1 · Feb 3.6 · Mar 6.5 · Apr 9.8 · May 13.4 · Jun 16.4 · Jul 18.5 · Aug 18.3 · Sep 14.9 · Oct 11 · Nov 6.7 · Dec 3.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station CHARLEROIGOSSELIES_06449.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 78.7 · Feb 68.7 · Mar 64 · Apr 48.2 · May 65.7 · Jun 75.6 · Jul 76.1 · Aug 84.1 · Sep 63.5 · Oct 67.2 · Nov 74.9 · Dec 97.5 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station CHARLEROIGOSSELIES_06449.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time11 published observations, 2014–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 42.2% between 2014 and 2024, from 12.0 to 6.9.

Population and city profile

The city covered 102.9 km² in 2025. Population density was 2,009.8 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Charleroi?

The published population was 206,900 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source2

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents433 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Eurostat4Official
City area102.9 km²1 Jan 2025Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2.11Official
Foreign-resident share16.1 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat5Official
Foreign residents34,445 people1 Jan 2026Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row.12Official
Population density2,010 people/km²1 Jan 2026Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column.13Official
Population206,900 people1 Jan 2026Belgium official denominator source2Official
Foreign residents over time12 published observations, 2015–2026

Foreign residents rose 9.7% between 2015 and 2026, from 31,396 to 34,445.

International community in Charleroi

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

All persons in Statbel Census 2021 municipality rows; the published male and female category rows are summed to total sex · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population201,837100.0%
Born in Belgium161,99480.3%
Born in a non-EU country23,69011.7%
Born in another EU member state16,1288.0%
Not indicated250.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source28

Citizenship

All persons in Statbel Census 2021 municipality rows; the published male and female category rows are summed to total sex · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population201,837100.0%
Belgian nationality170,61784.5%
Foreign nationality: other EU member state18,4079.1%
Foreign nationality: non-EU country11,9615.9%
Not indicated8240.4%
Stateless280.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source26

Ancestry or ethnicity

All persons in the Statbel 2021-01-01 municipal origin publication · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total — Belgian of Belgian origin — born in Belgium100,86050.0%
Total — Total population201,837100.0%
Total — Total population — born in Belgium161,99480.3%
Belgique — Belgian of Belgian origin — total102,79750.9%
Belgique — Total population102,79750.9%
Total — Belgian of Belgian origin — total102,79750.9%
Belgique — Belgian of Belgian origin — born in Belgium100,86050.0%
Belgique — Total population — born in Belgium100,86050.0%
Total — Total Belgian with foreign origin67,82033.6%
Total — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born in Belgium52,86026.2%
Hors UE27 — Total population49,02424.3%
Show 70 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total population41,64720.6%
Total — Total population — born outside Belgium39,84319.7%
Hors UE27 — Total Belgian with foreign origin35,40717.5%
Total — Non-Belgian — total31,22015.5%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — total30,93215.3%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total population — born in Belgium29,47714.6%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total Belgian with foreign origin26,45913.1%
Hors UE27 — Total population — born in Belgium26,02912.9%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born in Belgium23,88311.8%
Hors UE27 — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born in Belgium23,78611.8%
Hors UE27 — Total population — born outside Belgium22,99511.4%
Total — Non-Belgian — born outside Belgium22,94611.4%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — total21,58810.7%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born in Belgium21,03310.4%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — total18,9299.4%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born in Belgium16,8438.3%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — total15,3007.6%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Non-Belgian — total15,1887.5%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born in Belgium14,9847.4%
Total — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born outside Belgium14,9607.4%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born outside Belgium14,0897.0%
Hors UE27 — Non-Belgian — total13,6176.7%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total population — born outside Belgium12,1706.0%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — total11,9625.9%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born in Belgium11,8295.9%
Hors UE27 — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born outside Belgium11,6215.8%
Hors UE27 — Non-Belgian — born outside Belgium11,3745.6%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born outside Belgium11,2285.6%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — total10,8355.4%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born in Belgium10,6945.3%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — total10,3925.1%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Non-Belgian — born outside Belgium9,5944.8%
Pays voisin* — Total population8,3694.1%
Total — Non-Belgian — born in Belgium8,2744.1%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born in Belgium8,1034.0%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born in Belgium7,7013.8%
Pays voisin* — Total Belgian with foreign origin5,9542.9%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — total5,6432.8%
Pays voisin* — Total population — born in Belgium5,6282.8%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Non-Belgian — born in Belgium5,5942.8%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born in Belgium5,3912.7%
Pays voisin* — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born in Belgium5,1912.6%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — total4,1052.0%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — total3,9832.0%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born in Belgium3,9512.0%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born in Belgium3,8131.9%
Pays voisin* — Total population — born outside Belgium2,7411.4%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born outside Belgium2,5761.3%
Pays voisin* — Non-Belgian — total2,4151.2%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born outside Belgium2,2891.1%
Hors UE27 — Non-Belgian — born in Belgium2,2431.1%
Pays voisin* — Non-Belgian — born outside Belgium1,9781.0%
Belgique — Belgian of Belgian origin — born outside Belgium1,9371.0%
Belgique — Total population — born outside Belgium1,9371.0%
Total — Belgian of Belgian origin — born outside Belgium1,9371.0%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — total1,6110.8%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born in Belgium1,0390.5%
Pays voisin* — Total Belgian with foreign origin — born outside Belgium7630.4%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born outside Belgium5720.3%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born outside Belgium5550.3%
Pays voisin* — Non-Belgian — born in Belgium4370.2%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — total3600.2%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born in Belgium3390.2%
Total — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born outside Belgium3160.2%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born outside Belgium2520.1%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born outside Belgium1700.1%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born outside Belgium1540.1%
Hors UE27 — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born outside Belgium1410.1%
UE27 (excl. pays voisin) — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born outside Belgium1330.1%
Pays voisin* — Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born outside Belgium210.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad19.73 %1 Jan 2021Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by birthplace25Official
Median age39 years31 Dec 2026Population by place of residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex — 1 January 202619Official

Alternatives for people set on Charleroi

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.

Woluwe-Saint-Lambert as a Charleroi alternative in the same region

48 km away, better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 9.4% Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 21.2% Charleroi−56%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 6,684 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 14,026 Charleroi−52%
  • Median gross pay, region: €4,340 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs €3,540 Charleroi+23%
  • Residents: 60,979 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 206,900 Charleroi−71%
  • Foreign residents: 40.3% (2025) Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 16.1% (2024) Charleroino percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.8 µg/m³ Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 6.9 µg/m³ Charleroi+12%
  • Nearest airport: 7.0 km Woluwe-Saint-Lambert vs 6.0 km Charleroi+17%
Full comparisonMore about Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

Namur as a Charleroi alternative in the same country

Better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.

  • Nearest airport: 29.0 km Namur vs 6.0 km Charleroi+383%
  • Unemployment: 12.0% Namur vs 21.2% Charleroi−43%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,912 Namur vs 14,026 Charleroi−36%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €118 Namur vs €203 Charleroi−42%
  • Foreign residents: 11.6% Namur vs 16.1% Charleroi−28%
  • Residents: 115,457 Namur vs 206,900 Charleroi−44%
  • Annual PM2.5: 5.9 µg/m³ Namur vs 6.9 µg/m³ Charleroi−15%
Full comparisonMore about Namur

Cities near Charleroi

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

Alternative cities in Belgium

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

All Belgium cities
Brussels198,674 residentsLiège198,102 residentsGhent272,657 residentsAnderlecht129,600 residentsSchaerbeek129,278 residentsBrugge120,283 residents

How does Charleroi compare?

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

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Charleroi in rankings

#3 of 30 in Largest cities in Belgium #6 of 30 in Cheapest cities to rent in Belgium #19 of 27 in Major cities where the modelled January mean stays above freezing #21 of 30 in Major cities with the highest modelled annual precipitation #22 of 30 in Most international cities in Belgium #23 of 30 in Major cities with the lowest modelled solar exposure

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Charleroi 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.

Put Charleroi'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 Charleroi?

The published population was 206,900 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Charleroi?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31.

How safe is Charleroi?

Police recorded about 14,026 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025.

What is the unemployment rate in Charleroi?

The unemployment rate is 21.2 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011.

What is the typical salary around Charleroi?

The median gross salary is 3,540 EUR/month. Source: Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022.

How many foreign residents live in Charleroi?

34,445 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row..

Is Charleroi a good place to live?

Charleroi 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 Charleroi?

Lodelinsart, Marcinelle, Jumet, Montignies-sur-Sambre, Marchienne-au-Pont are near Charleroi. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Born in Belgium live in Charleroi?

The official country of birth distribution records 161,994 people (80.3%) in the source-defined population for 2021-01-01. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

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APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 25). Charleroi, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 7eda0c6a06b498baa873310c53a3901f]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/charleroi/ Retrieved 2026-10-25. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_charleroi-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_76bfc534b866,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Charleroi, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-25},
  version = {7eda0c6a06b498baa873310c53a3901f},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/charleroi/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-25. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Charleroi, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/charleroi/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 7eda0c6a06b498baa873310c53a3901f; retrieved 2026-10-25; built 2026-10-25.

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. Belgium official denominator source statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-14
  3. BIPT/IBPT fixed broadband Atlas municipality row: H_rate_1000 is the share of households with access to fixed broadband at a maximum attainable speed of at least 1,000 Mbps; availability, not subscribed plan or measured speed. H_1000 is the covered-household count and total_households is the denominator. bipt-data.be · checked 2026-07-15
  4. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  5. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  6. FASE 2025/26 official school establishment register odwb.be · checked 2026-07-16
  7. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  8. Internet Light Fiber proximus.be · checked 2026-10-08
  9. Le Forem — Service clientèle de Charleroi Le Forem · leforem.be · checked 2026-09-15
  10. NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-10-25
Show 31 more sources
  1. Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2025-01-01
  2. Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  3. Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  4. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 11055; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
  5. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 13019; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
  6. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
  7. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  8. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  9. Population by place of residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex — 1 January 2026 Population by place of residence, nationality, marital status, age and sex · statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-24
  10. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  11. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  12. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  13. Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics — Statistics Belgium) Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics · statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-07
  14. Statbel Census 2021 municipality housing units statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-16
  15. Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by birthplace statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-16
  16. Statbel, Belgian statistical office statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-30
  17. Statbel, Belgian statistical office statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-30
  18. Statbel, Belgian statistical office country of birth statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-29
  19. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station CHARLEROIGOSSELIES_06449.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  20. Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025 Belgian Federal Police · police.be · checked 2026-07-26
  21. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  22. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  23. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  24. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  25. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  26. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  27. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  28. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  29. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  30. 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
  31. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q81046 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

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