Municipality · Province of Flemish Brabant · Flanders
Merchtem
About Merchtem
Merchtem is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant in Flanders, Belgium. On 1 January 2026 it had 18,467 inhabitants on an area of 36.9 km², a population density of 500 inhabitants per km². That is close to the average of 571 per km² in Flemish Brabant and higher than the Belgian average of 387 per km².
By population, Merchtem ranks 195th of Belgium’s 565 municipalities and 23rd of the 63 municipalities in Flemish Brabant. By area it ranks 328th in Belgium.
The official language is Dutch.
Population of Merchtem since 2016
Between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2026 the population of Merchtem grew by 2,384 inhabitants (+14.8%), from 16,083 to 18,467. In the last year it changed by +106.
For population growth since 2016, Merchtem ranks 9th of 565. Over the same period the province of Flemish Brabant changed by +7.9% and Belgium by +5.3%.
Neighbouring municipalities
Merchtem borders 6 municipalities:
Postcodes in Merchtem
| Postcode | Places |
|---|---|
| 1785 | Brussegem, Hamme, Merchtem |
Distances from Merchtem
| To | km | miles |
|---|---|---|
| Brussels | 13 | 8 |
| Mechelen | 17 | 10 |
| Leuven | 33 | 21 |
| Antwerp | 35 | 22 |
| Ghent | 39 | 24 |
| Mons | 59 | 37 |
| Charleroi | 60 | 38 |
| Namur | 70 | 44 |
| Kortrijk | 71 | 44 |
| Hasselt | 76 | 47 |
| Bruges | 79 | 49 |
| Ostend | 97 | 60 |
| Liège | 101 | 63 |
| Arlon | 179 | 111 |
Straight line between the centres of the municipalities. By road it is usually 20–40% further. Calculate another distance →
Nearby municipalities
More about Merchtem: Wikipedia.