On 1 January 2021, 76.5% of the inhabitants of Essen aged 20 to 64 were in work — 280th of 565 municipalities (Statbel, Census 2021).
10 years earlier, in 2011, it was 69.6%: a rise of 6.9 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.
Essen is 4.8 percentage points above the Belgian figure (71.7%) and 1.8 percentage points above the figure for the province of Antwerp (74.7%).
Essen is in the arrondissement of Antwerp, province of Antwerp, 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) | 76.5% |
| Inhabitants aged 20 to 64 (Census 2021) | 11,114 |
| Employed inhabitants aged 20 to 64 | 8,503 |
| Unemployment rate, aged 15–64 | 4.8% |
| Jobs in the municipality, held by residents of Belgium | 4,529 |
| Employed inhabitants (all ages) | 8,781 |
| Commuting balance (jobs minus employed inhabitants) | −4,252 |
| Population (1 January 2026) | 19,671 inhabitants |
| Average income (income year 2023 · tax year 2024) | €42,793 |
| Median house price (2025) | €378,000 |
| Crime figures (2025) | 58.4 per 1,000 inhabitants |
| Additional municipal tax on personal income tax (tax year 2024) | 7.5% |
| Municipal tax on property, as a % of the cadastral income (tax year 2026) | 34.7% |
| Average age (1 January 2026) | 43.3 years |
| Inhabitants with a non-Belgian nationality (1 January 2026) | 22.1% |
| Injury accidents per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 inhabitants |
| Jobseekers on unemployment benefit (2025) | 2.3 per 100 inh. 18–64 |
Reference date: 1 January 2021 · Source: Statbel — Census 2021
In Essen, 76.5% of the inhabitants aged 20 to 64 were in work on 1 January 2021 (Statbel, Census 2021: administrative data, not a survey).
Essen ranks 280th of 565 municipalities for employment rate 20–64 (%) (76.5%), +4.8 percentage points compared with the Belgian figure (71.7%).
From 69.6 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2011 to 76.5 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2021 (+6.9 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.