Living in Hekelgem

The city faced an unemployment rate of 3.1% at the start of 2011. Hekelgem recorded annual PM2.5 of 7 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-10-0717 sources

Population5,496people1 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 rent950EUR/month31 Dec 2025Municipality figureOfficial source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50

Unemployment rate3.1%1 Jan 2011Municipality figureIndependent source · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011

Recorded crime4,822incidents per 100,000country median 5,167 — 7% belowOfficial source · Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025

PM2.5, annual mean7µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · European Environment Agency (EEA)

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

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 Hekelgem.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60

Mobile plan, 10 GB€50

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	59.99 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Proximus Internet Go¹²Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	49.99 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Proximus Mobile Maxi¹³Official · national market
Median monthly rent	950 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50¹Official · parent municipality

Is Hekelgem 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 worker53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 39–67%

Skilled employee57%strong on work, weak on education · range 45–69%

Student37%strong on cost, weak on education · range 24–50%

Family50%strong on family, weak on education · range 39–61%

Retirement53%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 40–66%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Hekelgem?

The unemployment rate is 3.1 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011¹⁷

Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Hekelgem is 3.1%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

160

123

0–22–44–66–88–1010–1212–1414–1616–1818–2020–2222–2424–26

Hekelgem 3.1%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average gross earnings	4,028 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022¹⁴Official · regional context
Median gross salary (regional)	3,711 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022¹⁵Official · regional context
Unemployment rate	3.1 %	1 Jan 2011	Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011¹⁷Independent · parent municipality

What does a salary buy in Hekelgem?

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

Left over each month€1,427of €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	− €950
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	€1,427

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Hekelgem Salary needed to live in Hekelgem

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Hekelgem. 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

Open the Belgium service overview

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

Safety

How safe is Hekelgem?

Police recorded about 4,822 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, 2025¹⁶

Recorded crime across major citiesHekelgem highlighted among comparable cities

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	4,822 incidents per 100,000country median 5,167	31 Dec 2025	Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025¹⁶Official

Mobility and administration

Hekelgem's nearest airport was BRU, 26 km away and offered 146 direct destinations.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport	146 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights⁹Official
Distance to the nearest major airport	26 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹⁰Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)	BRU	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹⁰Official

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperature moved from 3.7°C in January to 18.7°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 75.5 mm in January and 76.9 mm in July. Average monthly sunshine totalled 59.1 hours in January and 203.2 hours in July.

Is the air quality good in Hekelgem?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 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

0°

6°1°

7°2°

11°3°

15°6°

18°9°

21°12°

23°14°

20°11°

15°8°

10°5°

7°2°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

JFMAMJJASOND

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

126

171

198

199

203

192

155

113

JFMAMJJASOND

hours

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.57WHO 5 · EU 25

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 Hekelgem is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 442 cities with data, 142 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

142

2–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–10

Hekelgem 7.0

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	7 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	European Environment Agency (EEA)²Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by month	Jan 6.1 · Feb 7.1 · Mar 10.9 · Apr 15 · May 18.4 · Jun 21.2 · Jul 23.2 · Aug 23 · Sep 19.5 · Oct 14.9 · Nov 9.9 · Dec 6.6 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO⁴Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by month	Jan 1.4 · Feb 1.5 · Mar 3.5 · Apr 6 · May 9.2 · Jun 12 · Jul 14.1 · Aug 13.9 · Sep 11.3 · Oct 8.1 · Nov 4.6 · Dec 2.1 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO⁵Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by month	Jan 3.7 · Feb 4.2 · Mar 7.1 · Apr 10.4 · May 13.9 · Jun 16.7 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 18.4 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 11.3 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 4.3 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO⁶Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 75.5 · Feb 65.1 · Mar 59.3 · Apr 46.7 · May 59.7 · Jun 70.8 · Jul 76.9 · Aug 86.5 · Sep 65.3 · Oct 67.8 · Nov 76.2 · Dec 87.4 mm	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by month	Jan 59.1 · Feb 72.9 · Mar 125.8 · Apr 171.3 · May 198.3 · Jun 199.3 · Jul 203.2 · Aug 192.4 · Sep 154.5 · Oct 112.6 · Nov 65.8 · Dec 48.6 hours	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO⁸Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Belgium: Ghent ±0.3 °C. Elsewhere: Bochum (Germany) ±0.4 °C, Werl (Germany) ±0.8 °C, Baesweiler (Germany) ±0.3 °C, Geilenkirchen (Germany) ±0.3 °C, Juelich (Germany) ±0.3 °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 Hekelgem?

The published population was 5,496 people in January 2025. Source: Population by statistical sector 2025¹¹

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Population	5,496 people	1 Jan 2025	Population by statistical sector 2025¹¹Official

Alternatives for people set on Hekelgem

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.

Forest as a Hekelgem alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

Median gross pay, region: €4,340 Forest vs €3,711 Hekelgem+17%
Recorded crime, per 100k: 13,100 (2024) Forest vs 4,822 (2025) Hekelgemno percentage
Annual PM2.5: 7.0 µg/m³ Forest vs 7.0 µg/m³ Hekelgemsame level

Full comparison More about Forest

Alternative cities in Belgium

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

All Belgium cities

Knesselare5,501 residents Achel5,486 residents Ruiselede5,484 residents Bullange5,479 residents Beverst5,475 residents Glabbeek5,475 residents

How does Hekelgem compare?

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

Open the full comparison

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Hekelgem 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; Hekelgem's school authority applies it locally.

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

Is Hekelgem part of Mechelen?

Hekelgem is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. Mechelen city profile

Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source³

Put Hekelgem'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 Hekelgem?

The published population was 5,496 people in January 2025. Source: Population by statistical sector 2025.

Is the air quality good in Hekelgem?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 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 Hekelgem?

What is the unemployment rate in Hekelgem?

The unemployment rate is 3.1 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011.

What is the typical salary around Hekelgem?

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

Is Hekelgem a good place to live?

Hekelgem 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.

Is Hekelgem part of Mechelen?

Hekelgem is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.

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). Hekelgem, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 6596a5c7be98f0356c5d9781a74d3421]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/hekelgem/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_hekelgem-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_379f2a40f616,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Hekelgem, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {6596a5c7be98f0356c5d9781a74d3421},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/hekelgem/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Hekelgem, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/hekelgem/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 6596a5c7be98f0356c5d9781a74d3421; 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

Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 opendata.fin.belgium.be · checked 2026-09-23
European Environment Agency (EEA) air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-06
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
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03

Show 7 more sources

Population by statistical sector 2025 services9.arcgis.com · checked 2026-09-24
Proximus Internet Go proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
Tableau des statistiques de faits criminels par commune, 2025 police.be · checked 2026-10-05
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

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