Harelbeke is a commune covering 29.4 km² with a population of 28,158 residents, slightly more men (50.1%) than women. The average age of inhabitants is about 42 years, and most are homeowners, with 78% owning their properties. The net average income here is 18,852€ per year. Nationally, there is a strong Belgian presence at 94.1%, alongside smaller communities from Morocco, Romania, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
The housing market in Harelbeke mainly consists of houses, making up 81.8% of dwellings, with apartment buildings accounting for 18.2%. Among houses, closed type houses represent 32.3%, semi-closed types 28.2%, and open type houses including farms and castles make up 18.6%. The average house has 5.6 rooms, slightly below the Belgian average of 6. Houses here were commonly built around 1960.
Currently, there are 63 houses for sale in the municipality. Prices for houses vary widely, with the average house listed at 496,171€, the lowest at 199,000€, and the highest reaching up to 1,690,000€. This range reflects the diversity in house types and sizes available.
Harelbeke is well connected by road, with easy access to motorways such as the A14/E17 reachable in about 5 minutes by car and the A17/E403 about 11 minutes away. Major roads include N36d, N36, N36e, and N43. Public transportation options include multiple bus lines such as De Lijn Lines 71, 72, 74, 75, and 89 serving Harelbeke and connecting it to nearby towns and cities. For families, the commune has a total of 11 nurseries and nursery schools each, alongside 11 primary schools and 17 secondary schools.
Shopping needs are covered by several supermarkets including Albert Heijn, Louis Delhaize, Aldi, LIDL, Carrefour, Colruyt, and Delhaize. For eco-conscious residents or those considering electric vehicles, there are three EV charging stations available within Harelbeke. Mobility options also include bike-sharing via a Blue-bike station and car-sharing through two Cambio stations. The nearest airport is Wevelgem Airport, just an 11-minute drive or about an hour by public transport.