Derby: population and statistics
Derby has a population of 275,344 (2025) across 78.0 km², or 3,529 people per km². It ranks 73 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 275,344 residents
- 78.0 km²
- 3,529 people/km²
Derby in numbers
Population of Derby over time
Derby had 257,406 residents in 2015 and 275,344 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 261,999 |
| 2021 | 261,260 |
| 2022 | 264,414 |
| 2023 | 269,643 |
| 2024 | 273,656 |
| 2025 | 275,344 |
All indicators for Derby
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 | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.5% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 289 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.6% | 17.6% | 17.4% | ranked 59 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 115,780 dwellings | 2,253,470 | 27,429,300 | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 37.1% | 29.8% | 31.6% | ranked 102 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 14.2% | 20.8% | 18.1% | ranked 244 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 105,651 households | 80,736 | 61,440 | ranked 68 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 85.0% | 87.9% | 84.7% | ranked 153 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 14.7% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 59.8% | 66.0% | 67.3% | ranked 247 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 21.3% | 18.9% | 17.6% | ranked 80 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.8% | 15.0% | 14.3% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £207,250 | £243,499 | £272,474 | ranked 276 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.7% | 2.1% | 2.2% | ranked 153 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 81.3% | 76.4% | 76.7% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.1% | 6.4% | 7.8% | ranked 179 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.0% | 3.8% | 0.9% | ranked 310 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,495 sites | 213,055 | 3,232,440 | ranked 103 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 34.5 per 1,000 | 41.9 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 304 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,565 businesses | 183,730 | 2,786,975 | ranked 131 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,428 | £36,281 | £38,490 | ranked 242 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 72.7% | 75.6% | 76.3% | ranked 257 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.9% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 47 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Derby | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.0% | 19.4% | 18.5% | ranked 70 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in East Midlands, Derby ranks 5 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.0% in Derby, compared with an average of 3.8% in East Midlands and 3.4% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 4.9% in Derby, compared with an average of 3.4% in East Midlands and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 10,927 football pitches.
- 12.4 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Amber Valley, 10.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Sheffield (579,517 residents), 55 km away.
Business sectors: Derby
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 trade18.8% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical12.7% ×0.9
- Construction11.2% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.9% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services7.8% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.7% ×1.0
- Transport and storage6.6% ×1.6
- Information and communication4.8% ×0.8
Where is Derby?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Derby?
Derby has 275,344 residents (2025), ranking 73 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Derby?
Derby covers 78.0 km², with a density of 3,529 people per km².
Is the population of Derby growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Derby went from 257,406 to 275,344, a change of +7.0%.
Where is Derby?
Derby is in East Midlands (region). Latitude 52.921, longitude −1.472.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Derby?
In Derby, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.0% (2021), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Derby?
In Derby, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 4.9% (2026), ranking 47 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Derby?
The nearest to Derby are Amber Valley (10 km), Erewash (10 km), Broxtowe (14 km), South Derbyshire (14 km), East Staffordshire (17 km).