Correction published on July 15, 2025
On July 8, an update to this statistic was published. However, the published map with municipal figures on the crude mortality rate contained incorrect data. Therefore, a new version of the map with the correct data was published on July 15 at 11:05 AM.
Nearly 65,500 deaths in 2024
In 2024, a total of nearly 65,500 residents died in the Flemish Region (in the (open definition)). This is almost 800 more than in 2023. Since 2000, the number of deaths has shown a slightly upward trend. The peak in 2020 was due to additional deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deaths again exceed births in 2024
In 2024, there were again more deaths than births in the Flemish Region: 65,500 deaths compared to 61,800 births. This resulted in a negative (open definition) of almost -3,700. Since 2020, the number of deaths has exceeded the number of births. Only in 2021 were there more births than deaths. Between 2000 and 2019, there were consistently more births than deaths in the Flemish Region. This consistently resulted in a positive natural balance.
Premature mortality rate declining
(open definition) refers to deaths before the age of 75. In 2024, approximately 17,200 deaths occurred before the age of 75, representing 26% of the total number of deaths. This figure was 33% for men and 20% for women. The share of premature mortality has decreased significantly since 1994, both for men and women.
Large municipal variations in the crude mortality rate in 2022-2024
About half of the municipalities had a (open definition) higher than the average for the Flemish Region (9.6 per 1,000 inhabitants) in 2022-2024. Relatively high values were recorded, especially, but not exclusively, in the coastal municipalities with their older populations. Municipalities with relatively low crude mortality rates were found in the northern half of Limburg, the Northern Kempen region, and in an extended region around the Brussels-Capital Region.
Among the central cities, Leuven (8.0), Mechelen (8.4), and Antwerp (8.4) scored the lowest, while Bruges (11.7) and Ostend (14.5) scored the highest.
Crude mortality rates in the Flemish Region lower than in the Walloon Region, but higher than in the Brussels-Capital Region
In the Flemish Region, there were 9.6 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. In the Walloon Region, this crude mortality rate was slightly higher (10.3 per 1,000 inhabitants), and lower in the Brussels-Capital Region (6.8 per 1,000 inhabitants).
In the Flemish Region, there were never more than 10 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants between 2000 and 2024. Only in 2020 was the crude mortality rate 10.7.
Flemish Region below EU average for crude mortality rate
The Flemish Region (9.5) and Belgium (9.4) scored lower than the European average (10.8) for the 2023 crude mortality rate. Member States with relatively high scores are Bulgaria (15.7) and Latvia (14.9). Member States with low scores are Ireland and Luxembourg (each 6.6).
The figures for the EU countries and Belgian regions refer to the (open definition). Data are not yet available for the 2024 observation year.