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Living in Louvain

Louvain had 105,357 residents at the start of 2026 and is a city in Belgium. Annual NO₂ was 11.3 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. The city covered 57.5 km² in 2025. Population density was 1,832 people per km² in 2026.

Last checked 2026-09-1916 sources

Population105,357people1 Jan 2026Official source · Belgium official denominator source
Unemployment rate4.25%country median 5.3% — 20% belowIndependent source · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011
Recorded crime12,442incidents per 100,000country median 5,167 — 141% aboveOfficial source · www.police.be
PM2.5, annual mean8.16µg/m³country median 7.4 — 10% aboveOfficial source · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31

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

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 Louvain.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Louvain. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

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

€ / month

Private kindergarten€529
Utilities, 85 m² flat€192
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
Internet, 60 Mbps€42
Transport pass€36
Fitness club€28

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Transport pass, Fitness club, Internet, 60 Mbps. The others are published prices.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly27.94 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited41.58 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly529.1 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant14.93 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi9Official · national market
Monthly transport pass36.49 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home191.9 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v215Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings49,296 dwellings1 Jan 2021Statbel Census 2021 municipality housing units10Official

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 4.25% at the start of 2011.

What is the unemployment rate in Louvain?

The unemployment rate is about 4.3 % (January 2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 4.25 % · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201116
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Louvain is 4.3%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability98.98 %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.2Official
Unemployment rate4.25 %country median 5.3%1 Jan 2011Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201116Independent

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Louvain. 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 Louvain. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Louvain?

Police recorded about 12,442 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: www.police.be14

Recorded crime across major citiesLouvain highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Louvain 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 residents12,442 incidents per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2024www.police.be14Official

Language courses and integration in Louvain

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records

De Nomade — onthaalhuis voor nieuwkomers

Borstelsstraat 140, 3010 Kessel-Lo

016 27 42 90 · denomade@leuven.be

View official record
Check courses in LouvainHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Louvain

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 8.16 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Is the air quality good in Louvain?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.2 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: 8.16 µg/m³ · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-318
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 Louvain is 8.2 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 mean11.28 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..2024-12-316Official
PM10 — annual mean14.15 µg/m³country median 13.131 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 13019; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-317Official
PM2.5 — annual mean8.16 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..2024-12-318Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 6.4 · Feb 7.2 · Mar 10.9 · Apr 15.1 · May 18.6 · Jun 21.5 · Jul 23.7 · Aug 23.5 · Sep 19.9 · Oct 15.1 · Nov 10.1 · Dec 6.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BRUSSELSNATIONALAIRPORT_06451.csv13Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.2 · Feb 1 · Mar 2.7 · Apr 5 · May 8.7 · Jun 11.7 · Jul 13.7 · Aug 13.4 · Sep 10.5 · Oct 7.4 · Nov 4.3 · Dec 1.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BRUSSELSNATIONALAIRPORT_06451.csv13Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.8 · Feb 4.1 · Mar 6.8 · Apr 10 · May 13.6 · Jun 16.6 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 18.4 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 11.3 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 4.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BRUSSELSNATIONALAIRPORT_06451.csv13Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 66.6 · Feb 57.3 · Mar 52.2 · Apr 42.5 · May 56.2 · Jun 66.6 · Jul 71.3 · Aug 78 · Sep 59.1 · Oct 62.1 · Nov 69.6 · Dec 81.4 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BRUSSELSNATIONALAIRPORT_06451.csv13Official · nearest-station reading

Population and city profile

How many people live in Louvain?

The published population was 105,357 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source1

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area57.51 km²1 Jan 2025Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2.3Official
Foreign residents23,848 people1 Jan 2026Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row.4Official
Population density1,832 people/km²1 Jan 2026Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column.5Official
Population105,357 people1 Jan 2026Belgium official denominator source1Official
Foreign residents over time14 published observations, 2013–2026

Foreign residents rose 51.2% between 2013 and 2026, from 15,774 to 23,848.

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad25.61 %1 Jan 2021Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by birthplace11Official
Median age36.4 years1 Jan 2021Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by sex and age12Official

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

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

Alternative cities in Belgium

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

All Belgium cities
Leuven104,906 residentsMolenbeek-Saint-Jean98,411 residentsNamur115,457 residentsBrugge120,283 residentsAalst92,131 residentsHasselt90,914 residents

Common questions

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

How many people live in Louvain?

The published population was 105,357 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Louvain?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.2 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 Louvain?

Police recorded about 12,442 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: www.police.be.

What is the unemployment rate in Louvain?

The unemployment rate is about 4.3 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011.

How many foreign residents live in Louvain?

23,848 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row..

How much is public transport in Louvain?

A monthly transport pass is 36.49 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2.

Is Louvain a good place to live?

ImmigrationDB does not yet have enough current, multi-domain evidence and internal comparison context to answer that reliably. This stable data record remains available while the missing evidence is collected.

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). Louvain, Belgium: population, cost of living, jobs, safety [ImmigrationDB compilation; version dd2c6b946a128ddbc1162ec320001769]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/leuven/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_louvain-belgium-population-cost-of-living-jobs-safety_399cf854984e,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Louvain, Belgium: population, cost of living, jobs, safety},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {dd2c6b946a128ddbc1162ec320001769},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/leuven/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Louvain, Belgium: population, cost of living, jobs, safety](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/leuven/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version dd2c6b946a128ddbc1162ec320001769; 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. Belgium official denominator source statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-14
  2. 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
  3. Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2025-01-01
  4. Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  5. Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  10. Statbel Census 2021 municipality housing units statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-16
Show 6 more sources
  1. Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by birthplace statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-16
  2. Statbel Census 2021 municipality population by sex and age statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-16
  3. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BRUSSELSNATIONALAIRPORT_06451.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  4. www.police.be police.be · checked 2026-08-27
  5. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  6. 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

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.