In Diest, 74.5% of those aged 20 to 64 were in work on 1 January 2021; 339 municipalities have a higher employment rate.
Compared with 2011 (70.4%), the employment rate rose by 4.1 percentage points. Statbel: in 2011 the number of employees of European and international institutions was underestimated; where many of them live, the comparison with 2011 overstates the rise.
That is 2.8 percentage points higher than the Belgian figure (71.7%) and 3.2 percentage points lower than the figure for the province of Flemish Brabant (77.7%).
Diest is in the arrondissement of Leuven, province of Flemish Brabant, Flanders.
About these figures: source Statbel — Census 2021, reference period 1 January 2021; updated on .
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 20–64 (1 January 2021) | 74.5% |
| Inhabitants aged 20 to 64 (Census 2021) | 14,053 |
| Employed inhabitants aged 20 to 64 | 10,469 |
| Unemployment rate, aged 15–64 | 5.3% |
| Jobs in the municipality, held by residents of Belgium | 10,773 |
| Employed inhabitants (all ages) | 10,751 |
| Commuting balance (jobs minus employed inhabitants) | +22 |
| Population (1 January 2026) | 25,196 inhabitants |
| Average income (income year 2023 · tax year 2024) | €42,895 |
| Median house price (2025) | €285,000 |
| Crime figures (2025) | 57.9 per 1,000 inhabitants |
| Additional municipal tax on personal income tax (tax year 2024) | 7.9% |
| Municipal tax on property, as a % of the cadastral income (tax year 2026) | 39.0% |
| Average age (1 January 2026) | 45.5 years |
| Inhabitants with a non-Belgian nationality (1 January 2026) | 7.2% |
| Injury accidents per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.8 per 1,000 inhabitants |
| Jobseekers on unemployment benefit (2025) | 2.4 per 100 inh. 18–64 |
Reference date: 1 January 2021 · Source: Statbel — Census 2021
In Diest, 74.5% of the inhabitants aged 20 to 64 were in work on 1 January 2021 (Statbel, Census 2021: administrative data, not a survey).
Diest ranks 340th of 565 municipalities for employment rate 20–64 (%) (74.5%), +2.8 percentage points compared with the Belgian figure (71.7%).
From 70.4 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2011 to 74.5 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2021 (+4.1 percentage points).
Statbel: in 2011 the number of employees of European and international institutions was underestimated; where many of them live, the comparison with 2011 overstates the rise.