Bilzen is a municipality of 76 km² with 32,328 inhabitants. The average age is 42, and women account for 50.5% of residents. Some 73% own their dwelling; average net income is €18,431 per person annually, and households have about 1.3 cars. Residents are 92.8% Belgian and 4.3% Dutch, with 0.3% Italian, 0.3% Turkish, 0.2% Afghan, 0.2% Polish, 0.2% Moroccan and 1.7% from other countries.
Apartment buildings represent 24.7% of the local housing stock; houses account for 75.3%. The average home has 5.8 rooms, and the average construction year for buildings is 1967. The building-type breakdown is 23.9% buildings and flat blocks, 33% open-type houses, farms or castles, 31.6% semi-closed houses, 8.1% closed-type houses, 2.1% commercial houses and 1.4% other types. There are 2 flats for sale in Bilzen. Their average price is €279,500, with listed prices from €249,000 to €310,000.
The N2, N700, N701, N730 and N745 serve the area. By car, the A13/E313, on the Antwerpen–Hasselt–Liège route, is 2 minutes from Bilzen centre; the A2/E314 towards Leuven, Diest, Genk and Maasmechelen is 14 minutes away. Bus line 20a links Hasselt, Bilzen, Maastricht/Lanaken and Rekem. De Lijn’s local services include 701, 702, 704 and 706. Stations nearest the centre are Bilzen, Diepenbeek, Tongeren, Genk and Bokrijk. The supplied transport details list buses and stations, but no metro or tram service.
There are 4 nurseries, 19 nursery schools, 22 primary schools and 9 secondary schools in the municipality. Examples include Kinderopvang Het Boemeltreintje and Toverland for childcare; Vrije Basisschool - H. Graf, Vrije Basisschool 'T Scholierke-Het Klein Kasteeltje and Vrije Basisschool - Talentenhuis for nursery or primary education; and Technisch Instituut Sint-Jozef and Go! Atheneum Martinus Bilzen for secondary education. For groceries, Bilzen has 4 SPARs, 2 Carrefours, 1 OKay, 1 Aldi, 1 Colruyt and 1 Delhaize. There are 4 electric-car charging stations, with no shared-bike or shared-car service in the municipality. Liège Airport is 22 minutes away by car and 125 minutes by public transport.