Long-term real estate trend shows growing east-west divide

Price trends for apartments in Brussels suggest that an east-west socio-economic divide is a relatively new phenomenon. According to the Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis, the cheapest prices for flats used to be east of the canal.

The institute tracked prices paid for flats in all of Brussels’ municipalities since 1995. Back then, the cheapest apartments were in Schaerbeek, Saint-Gilles and Saint-Josse. The most expensive were in Uccle and the two Woluwes. All of those communes are in the east of Brussels, meaning east of the canal.

While the Woluwes and Uccle are still among the most expensive municipalities, the cheapest have all moved across the canal, namely Molenbeek, Anderlecht and Neder-over-Hembeek, part of Brussels-City. In fact, all of the areas west of the canal are cheaper than all of the areas east of the canal.

The report points to a widening divide between the communities to the east and west of the canal area. “Home prices are a strong determinant of social segregation in cities,” reads the report. “Analysis of the evolution of spatial segregation of the real estate prices can be a useful tool in developing social mix policies.”