The share of occupied conventional dwellings built before 1919 is calculated by dividing the number of occupied conventional dwellings built before 1919 by the total number of occupied conventional buildings.
Quite logically, the share of occupied conventional dwellings built before 1919 decreased between 2011 and 2021 from 23% to 21% in Belgium. The decrease is the strongest in the province of Liège and along the French border.
The regional variations remain significant: 11% in Flanders, 30% in the Brussels-Capital Region and 37% in Wallonia.
The percentage of occupied conventional dwellings built before 1919 is higher in the provinces of Hainaut and Namur than in the other provinces (45% and 39% respectively). On the other hand, the province of Limburg has a lower rate (5%).
The share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 1991 is calculated by dividing the number of occupied conventional dwellings built from 1991 by the total number of occupied conventional buildings.
In Belgium, 25% of occupied conventional dwellings were built from 1991.
In Flanders, this amounts to 30%. This share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 1991 is more pronounced in the north-east of the country and in the area across the provinces of East and West Flanders. The coast also stands out.
In Wallonia, 19% of occupied conventional dwellings were built from 1991. This percentage is lower in the west of the Region and along the French border. Conversely, Walloon Brabant, the east of the province of Liège and the south-east of the province of Luxembourg have higher percentages.
In the Brussels-Capital Region, only 13% of occupied conventional dwellings were built from 1991.
The share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2001 is calculated by dividing the number of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2001 by the total number of occupied conventional buildings.
In Belgium, 16% of occupied conventional dwellings were built from 2001.
In Flanders, this percentage rises to 20%. This share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2001 is more pronounced in the north-east of the country and in the area across the provinces of East and West Flanders. The Belgian coast also stands out.
In Wallonia, 13% of occupied conventional dwellings were built in 2001 or after. This percentage is lower in the west of the Region and close to the French border. However, the Walloon Brabant, the east of the province of Liège and the south-east of the province of Luxembourg show higher rates.
In the Brussels-Capital Region, only 9% of occupied conventional dwellings were built from 2001.
The share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2011 is calculated by dividing the number of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2011 by the total number of occupied conventional buildings.
In Belgium, about 8% of the dwellings occupied on 1 January 2021 (date of the Census) were built less than 10 years earlier.
In Flanders, this figure is close to 10%. This share of occupied conventional dwellings built from 2011 is relatively evenly distributed in the provinces of the region (between around 9% and 11%).
In Wallonia, 6% of the occupied conventional dwellings were built from 2011 and this proportion varies from one province to another: about 9% in the provinces of Walloon Brabant and Luxembourg and only 5% to 6% in the provinces of Hainaut and Liège.
In the Brussels-Capital Region, this share of dwellings built after 2011 is very small (5%), like in three others cities of the country (Antwerp 5%, Charleroi and Liège 2%).
The Census 2021 in a nutshell
The Census 2021 is a snapshot of the population living in Belgium on 1 January 2021. It provides a wide range of figures on housing and demographic, socio-economic and educational characteristics of the citizens. The objective of the Census is twofold: to comply with the European regulation[1] and to produce statistics to address national specific needs (public services, international organizations, researchers, enterprises and private individuals).
Previously based on an exhaustive survey of all citizens, since 2011 the Census has been based exclusively on the use of administrative databases.
Definitions
Les différentes unités statistiques
Population
The population taken into account for the Census 2021 is the residential population, as registered in the National Register of Natural Persons (RNPP) on 1 January 2021. The Belgian population includes Belgians and non-Belgians who have been allowed or authorised to settle or to stay in Belgium but does not include non-Belgians living on the territory for less than three months, asylum seekers and non-Belgians in an illegal situation[2].
Private households
This group includes people living alone in a dwelling and groups of several people living in the same dwelling and providing themselves with essentials for living.
Family nuclei
A family nucleus is defined as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child.
Living quarters
Living quarters refer to all quarters used as the usual residence of one or several persons.
Conventional dwellings
Conventional dwellings are separate units (surrounded by walls and covered by a roof) that are independent (with a direct access from the street or a staircase, passage) and designed to be used as a permanent dwelling.
Occupied conventional dwellings
Occupied conventional dwellings are conventional dwellings used as the usual residence of one or several private households.
Variables and their description
Sex
This variable is used to distinguish men from women.
Age
The age reached in completed years of age on 1 January 2021.
Place of usual residence
The place of residence is that registered in the National Register on 1 January 2021. So this is the place of legal residence.
The Belgian municipalities have changed between 2011 and 2021. In the comparisons shown on this website, the figures for 2011 are broken down according to the municipalities of 2021.
Locality
A locality is defined as a distinct population cluster, that is an area defined by population living in neighbouring or contiguous buildings. This area constitutes a group of buildings, none of which is separated from its nearest neighbour by more than 200 meters.
The Belgian municipalities have changed between 2011 and 2021. In the comparisons shown on this website, the figures for 2011 are broken down according to the municipalities of 2021.
Dwellings by period of construction
This variable refers to the year when the building in which the dwelling is placed was completed.
Remark
The comparison with the previous Census requires some caution: this publication is based on the Belgian population and the Census 2011 has as reference the European definition of the population.
Information on the difference between the Belgian population and the Census 2011 population.
[1] COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2017/543 of 22 March 2017 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on population and housing censuses as regards the technical specifications of the topics and of their breakdowns.
[2]Information on the difference between the Belgian population and the Census 2011 population.