Car ownership declines in Brussels, while Flanders continues to rely on cars

In 2023, more than a quarter of households in Belgium (27.6%) did not own a car, with Brussels leading the trend as over half of the households there live without one. Meanwhile, Flanders continues to fuel up, a new report by Statbel shows.

Nationally, Belgian households owned an average of 1.06 cars last year, a number that has remained steady since 2021. However, in Brussels, the average is significantly lower at just 0.55 cars per household. 

In 2022, 54.5% of Brussels households were car-free. By 2023, that figure rose to 55.8%. Statbel attributes this trend to the “urban nature of Brussels,” where amenities such as shops, schools, workplaces, and services are often within walking distance or easily accessible via public transportation.

In Flanders, by contrast, households continue to stick with their cars. They own an average of 1.13 cars. Fewer than a quarter (23.5%) of Flemish households are without a car, while nearly half (48.8%) own one vehicle. Walloon households have on average 1.11 cars. 

At the municipal level, the Brussels commune of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode has the lowest average car ownership, with just 0.32 cars per household. In contrast, the municipality of Lasne in Walloon Brabant has the highest average, with 1.68 cars per household.

Family composition also plays a role in car ownership across Belgium. Ninety per cent of couples with one or more children own at least one car, while this figure drops to 69% for single parents. Among those living alone, half do not own a vehicle.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Car Free Sunday in the Brussels Capital region © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT}