Aan de hand van objectief cijfermateriaal (verzameld door de Vlaamse overheid) wordt het beleid in Wachtebeke getoetst aan vergelijkbare gemeenten in Vlaanderen. 
Daartoe worden alle Vlaamse gemeenten, waarvan het inwonerstal op 1/01/2005 tussen 5.000 en 8.500 lag, in de vergelijking opgenomen.
Zo ontstaat een groep van 49 gemeenten die bestuurlijk sterk overeenkomen en waartegen het beleid in Wachtebeke kan worden afgewogen.
De komende maanden wordt dit cijfermateriaal verder aangevuld met gegevens volgens de behandelde onderwerpen uit Inspraak Plus.
Evolutie van het aantal inwoners in alle Vlaamse gemeenten met inwonersaantal tussen 5.000 en 8.500.    
GEMEENTE inw.>5000en< 8500 1.1.1991 1.1.1992 1.1.1993 1.1.1994 1.1.1995 1.1.1996 1.1.1997 1.1.1998 1.1.1999 1.1.2000 1.1.2001 1.1.2002 1.1.2003 1.1.2004 1.1.2005
As 6.612 6.750 6.820 6.987 7.035 7.030 7.054 7.119 7.169 7.213 7.227 7.279 7.270 7.335 7.447
Bekkevoort 5.384 5.464 5.460 5.455 5.462 5.480 5.565 5.578 5.686 5.726 5.743 5.752 5.740 5.806 5.821
Boutersem 6.556 6.700 6.747 6.799 6.928 6.979 7.006 7.081 7.188 7.234 7.255 7.327 7.452 7.525 7.531
Dentergem 7.467 7.571 7.567 7.619 7.671 7.673 7.676 7.751 7.776 7.868 7.931 7.928 7.966 8.029 8.128
Galmaarden 7.166 7.324 7.406 7.444 7.494 7.531 7.640 7.631 7.658 7.741 7.796 7.852 7.882 7.906 8.018
Geetbets 5.605 5.653 5.669 5.676 5.704 5.679 5.699 5.739 5.783 5.793 5.777 5.731 5.759 5.772 5.755
Gingelom 7.257 7.321 7.353 7.346 7.346 7.455 7.447 7.502 7.572 7.600 7.639 7.608 7.716 7.717 7.776
Glabbeek 4.829 4.860 4.863 4.841 4.893 4.935 4.955 4.990 5.008 5.071 5.069 5.101 5.091 5.115 5.162
Halen 7.727 7.765 7.866 7.933 7.979 8.005 8.001 8.090 8.122 8.216 8.290 8.320 8.397 8.407 8.513
Heers 6.474 6.508 6.530 6.490 6.526 6.523 6.490 6.509 6.549 6.575 6.601 6.602 6.632 6.661 6.683
Herenthout 7.829 7.885 7.965 8.019 8.078 8.202 8.221 8.315 8.338 8.302 8.315 8.295 8.324 8.359 8.415
Herne 6.068 6.133 6.163 6.256 6.274 6.316 6.299 6.361 6.429 6.372 6.318 6.327 6.372 6.390 6.431
Heuvelland 8.530 8.457 8.467 8.517 8.498 8.449 8.468 8.435 8.424 8.399 8.363 8.332 8.322 8.292 8.228
Hoegaarden 5.550 5.612 5.633 5.703 5.764 5.868 5.910 5.984 5.991 6.014 6.016 6.032 6.059 6.059 6.148
Hove 7.962 8.108 8.121 8.130 8.186 8.267 8.285 8.391 8.344 8.306 8.277 8.261 8.162 8.155 8.177
Kaprijke 6.116 6.141 6.198 6.195 6.249 6.136 6.202 6.210 6.187 6.175 6.128 6.111 6.113 6.072 6.069
Kluisbergen 6.120 6.141 6.141 6.100 6.087 6.050 6.055 6.034 6.113 6.086 6.102 6.054 6.082 6.128 6.101
Knesselare 7.796 7.795 7.814 7.770 7.799 7.859 7.830 7.839 7.821 7.794 7.802 7.836 7.855 7.820 7.848
Koekelare 7.696 7.883 7.883 7.955 8.006 8.030 8.070 8.158 8.197 8.154 8.147 8.168 8.219 8.217 8.254
Kortenaken 7.302 7.386 7.432 7.418 7.418 7.447 7.503 7.503 7.462 7.443 7.447 7.448 7.424 7.473 7.488
Kortessem 7.734 7.759 7.805 7.882 7.903 7.916 7.943 7.971 8.080 8.010 8.065 8.060 8.055 8.069 8.083
Kruishoutem 7.343 7.526 7.575 7.622 7.664 7.718 7.769 7.853 7.844 7.849 7.874 7.927 8.012 8.118 8.057
Langemark-Poelkapelle 7.254 7.381 7.440 7.474 7.478 7.524 7.577 7.567 7.639 7.656 7.603 7.624 7.669 7.708 7.757
Lendelede 5.489 5.508 5.528 5.465 5.464 5.487 5.448 5.480 5.479 5.502 5.492 5.440 5.425 5.410 5.416
Lichtervelde 7.981 8.013 8.078 8.197 8.193 8.156 8.256 8.331 8.297 8.270 8.312 8.250 8.224 8.306 8.354
Lierde 6.089 6.159 6.166 6.199 6.180 6.195 6.255 6.271 6.282 6.291 6.302 6.374 6.400 6.399 6.426
Lint 6.728 6.998 7.181 7.280 7.374 7.587 7.708 7.772 7.839 7.864 7.903 7.973 7.977 7.959 7.979
Linter 6.539 6.526 6.585 6.659 6.713 6.786 6.788 6.858 6.849 6.852 6.865 6.917 6.968 6.932 7.020
Maarkedal 6.307 6.321 6.275 6.291 6.315 6.342 6.382 6.388 6.426 6.448 6.446 6.434 6.404 6.386 6.422
Merksplas 7.004 7.398 7.528 7.709 7.755 7.856 7.852 7.872 7.965 8.055 8.058 8.084 8.044 8.027 8.114
Moerbeke 5.551 5.591 5.633 5.676 5.748 5.766 5.748 5.726 5.759 5.753 5.745 5.762 5.794 5.781 5.813
Nieuwerkerken 5.947 5.980 6.047 6.065 6.163 6.177 6.233 6.337 6.432 6.483 6.510 6.486 6.480 6.516 6.585
Oostrozebeke 6.892 7.017 7.073 7.084 7.168 7.199 7.261 7.232 7.294 7.317 7.367 7.319 7.377 7.423 7.445
Pittem 6.400 6.516 6.535 6.490 6.523 6.572 6.626 6.597 6.589 6.629 6.599 6.589 6.590 6.541 6.612
Ruiselede 4.902 4.952 5.004 5.030 5.055 5.116 5.104 5.085 5.076 5.048 5.011 5.030 5.064 5.095 5.097
Schelle 6.875 7.049 7.079 7.156 7.250 7.506 7.609 7.766 7.719 7.743 7.707 7.666 7.670 7.746 7.824
Sint-Amands 7.249 7.266 7.310 7.396 7.376 7.418 7.421 7.493 7.534 7.560 7.539 7.578 7.604 7.611 7.723
Sint-Laureins 6.510 6.512 6.516 6.533 6.535 6.556 6.551 6.565 6.517 6.513 6.524 6.504 6.556 6.528 6.518
Sint-Martens-Latem 8.069 8.255 8.282 8.239 8.183 8.203 8.246 8.380 8.349 8.314 8.372 8.372 8.350 8.332 8.276
Vorselaar 6.788 6.947 7.031 7.064 7.089 7.190 7.284 7.360 7.353 7.353 7.351 7.344 7.309 7.323 7.282
Waarschoot 7.744 7.733 7.725 7.716 7.789 7.914 8.037 8.058 8.062 8.000 7.942 7.936 7.878 7.863 7.892
Wachtebeke 7.011 6.992 6.947 6.993 7.001 6.923 6.847 6.834 6.811 6.809 6.785 6.836 6.862 6.815 6.852
Wellen 6.373 6.459 6.503 6.516 6.504 6.522 6.585 6.629 6.671 6.725 6.751 6.768 6.781 6.785 6.835
Wortegem-Petegem 5.800 5.879 5.926 5.977 5.978 6.010 6.051 6.085 6.074 6.071 6.028 6.009 5.984 5.967 5.929
Zingem 6.468 6.547 6.555 6.528 6.535 6.492 6.545 6.556 6.594 6.603 6.567 6.579 6.583 6.656 6.732
Zomergem 8.017 8.113 8.120 8.128 8.163 8.151 8.223 8.206 8.255 8.245 8.229 8.170 8.167 8.103 8.012
Zoutleeuw 7.734 7.748 7.746 7.728 7.735 7.676 7.750 7.739 7.767 7.791 7.795 7.798 7.832 7.869 7.891
Zutendaal 5.983 6.163 6.260 6.354 6.384 6.477 6.544 6.564 6.619 6.755 6.764 6.809 6.861 6.869 6.865
Zwalm 7.363 7.448 7.506 7.544 7.643 7.627 7.611 7.662 7.670 7.683 7.686 7.686 7.691 7.716 7.770
TOTAAL 332.190 336.213 338.057 339.648 341.258 342.976 344.630 346.457 347.662 348.274 348.435 348.688 349.448 350.091 351.574
Bron: FOD Economie-Algemene Directie Statistiek en Economische informatie, Dienst Demografie.