Employment in Lens 2021

On 1 January 2021, 73.6% of the inhabitants of Lens aged 20 to 64 were in work — 369th of 565 municipalities (Statbel, Census 2021).

10 years earlier, in 2011, it was 69.6%: a rise of 4.0 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.

Lens is 1.9 percentage points above the Belgian figure (71.7%) and 9.8 percentage points above the figure for the province of Hainaut (63.8%).

Lens is in the arrondissement of Mons, province of Hainaut, Wallonia.

About these figures: source Statbel — Census 2021, reference period 1 January 2021; updated on .

Key figures

IndicatorValue
Employment rate, aged 20–64 (1 January 2021)73.6%
Inhabitants aged 20 to 64 (Census 2021)2,733
Employed inhabitants aged 20 to 642,011
Unemployment rate, aged 15–645.4%
Jobs in the municipality, held by residents of Belgium631
Employed inhabitants (all ages)2,059
Commuting balance (jobs minus employed inhabitants)−1,428
Population (1 January 2026)4,608 inhabitants
Average income (income year 2023 · tax year 2024)€40,781
Median house price (2025)€255,000
Crime figures (2025)27.6 per 1,000 inhabitants
Additional municipal tax on personal income tax (tax year 2024)8.0%
Municipal tax on property, as a % of the cadastral income (tax year 2026)32.5%
Average age (1 January 2026)41.6 years
Inhabitants with a non-Belgian nationality (1 January 2026)8.8%
Injury accidents per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)2.0 per 1,000 inhabitants
Jobseekers on unemployment benefit (2025)3.9 per 100 inh. 18–64

Reference date: 1 January 2021 · Source: Statbel — Census 2021

Frequently asked questions

How many inhabitants of Lens are in work?

In Lens, 73.6% of the inhabitants aged 20 to 64 were in work on 1 January 2021 (Statbel, Census 2021: administrative data, not a survey).

How does Lens compare with Belgium?

Lens ranks 369th of 565 municipalities for employment rate 20–64 (%) (73.6%), +1.9 percentage points compared with the Belgian figure (71.7%).

Change 2011–2021

From 69.6 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2011 to 73.6 per cent of those aged 20 to 64 in 2021 (+4.0 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.