Charnwood: population and statistics
Charnwood has a population of 189,718 (2025) across 279.0 km², or 680 people per km². It ranks 128 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 189,718 residents
- 279.0 km²
- 680 people/km²
Charnwood in numbers
Population of Charnwood over time
Charnwood had 172,909 residents in 2015 and 189,718 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 182,108 |
| 2021 | 182,906 |
| 2022 | 185,145 |
| 2023 | 187,150 |
| 2024 | 188,310 |
| 2025 | 189,718 |
All indicators for Charnwood
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.7% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 209 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.4% | 17.6% | 17.4% | ranked 249 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 80,100 dwellings | 2,253,470 | 27,429,300 | ranked 123 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 25.1% | 29.8% | 31.6% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.9% | 20.8% | 18.1% | ranked 69 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 73,785 households | 80,736 | 61,440 | ranked 121 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 88.8% | 87.9% | 84.7% | ranked 81 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.7% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ranked 231 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 70.8% | 66.0% | 67.3% | ranked 90 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.4% | 18.9% | 17.6% | ranked 165 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.7% | 15.0% | 14.3% | ranked 252 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £273,945 | £243,499 | £272,474 | ranked 178 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.2% | ranked 173 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 83.3% | 76.4% | 76.7% | ranked 24 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.9% | 6.4% | 7.8% | ranked 260 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.6% | 3.8% | 0.9% | ranked 171 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,665 sites | 213,055 | 3,232,440 | ranked 158 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 40.4 per 1,000 | 41.9 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 230 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,745 businesses | 183,730 | 2,786,975 | ranked 152 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,078 | £36,281 | £38,490 | ranked 187 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.8% | 75.6% | 76.3% | ranked 212 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.5% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 260 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Charnwood | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 15.6% | 19.4% | 18.5% | ranked 204 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in East Midlands, Charnwood ranks 6 by population.
Households heated by mains gas only: 83.3% in Charnwood, compared with an average of 76.4% in East Midlands and 73.9% across the UK.
Households in social housing: 11.7% in Charnwood, compared with an average of 15.0% in East Midlands and 17.1% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
Business sectors: Charnwood
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade17.4% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical14.1% ×1.0
- Construction12.9% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.8% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×0.8
- Health and social work6.1% ×1.1
- Manufacturing5.9% ×1.4
- Information and communication5.0% ×0.8
Where is Charnwood?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Charnwood?
Charnwood has 189,718 residents (2025), ranking 128 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Charnwood?
Charnwood covers 279.0 km², with a density of 680 people per km².
Is the population of Charnwood growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Charnwood went from 172,909 to 189,718, a change of +9.7%.
Where is Charnwood?
Charnwood is in East Midlands (region). Latitude 52.737, longitude −1.146.
Households heated by mains gas only: what is the figure for Charnwood?
In Charnwood, “Households heated by mains gas only” stands at 83.3% (2021), ranking 24 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 76.7%.
Households in social housing: what is the figure for Charnwood?
In Charnwood, “Households in social housing” stands at 11.7% (2021), ranking 252 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.3%.
Which local authorities border Charnwood?
The nearest to Charnwood are Leicester (12 km), North West Leicestershire (15 km), Oadby and Wigston (16 km), Blaby (19 km), Rushcliffe (19 km).