Derbyshire Dales: population and statistics
Derbyshire Dales has a population of 72,028 (2025) across 795.4 km², or 90.6 people per km². It ranks 343 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 72,028 residents
- 795.4 km²
- 91 people/km²
Derbyshire Dales in numbers
Population of Derbyshire Dales over time
Derbyshire Dales had 70,893 residents in 2015 and 72,028 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 70,972 |
| 2021 | 71,659 |
| 2022 | 71,713 |
| 2023 | 72,027 |
| 2024 | 71,762 |
| 2025 | 72,028 |
All indicators for Derbyshire Dales
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 | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.9% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 10 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 13.8% | 17.6% | 17.4% | ranked 347 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 35,930 dwellings | 2,253,470 | 27,429,300 | ranked 300 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 45.2% | 29.8% | 31.6% | ranked 53 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.9% | 20.8% | 18.1% | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 32,283 households | 80,736 | 61,440 | ranked 300 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 90.6% | 87.9% | 84.7% | ranked 48 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 9.2% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ranked 262 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.9% | 66.0% | 67.3% | ranked 45 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.4% | 18.9% | 17.6% | ranked 263 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.6% | 15.0% | 14.3% | ranked 230 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £355,387 | £243,499 | £272,474 | ranked 97 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.1% | 2.1% | 2.2% | ranked 26 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 65.6% | 76.4% | 76.7% | ranked 270 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.4% | 6.4% | 7.8% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 10.3% | 3.8% | 0.9% | ranked 45 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,165 sites | 213,055 | 3,232,440 | ranked 248 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 71.7 per 1,000 | 41.9 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 16 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,615 businesses | 183,730 | 2,786,975 | ranked 236 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £43,071 | £36,281 | £38,490 | ranked 87 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 84.1% | 75.6% | 76.3% | ranked 22 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.8% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 349 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.0% | 19.4% | 18.5% | ranked 258 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in East Midlands, Derbyshire Dales ranks 32 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.8% in Derbyshire Dales, compared with an average of 3.4% in East Midlands and 3.8% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 29.9% in Derbyshire Dales, compared with an average of 20.2% in East Midlands and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East Midlands for “Average house price”.
- Number 1 in East Midlands for “Business sites per 1,000 residents”.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 111,394 football pitches.
- 3.1 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: Derbyshire Dales
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing17.5% ×3.9
- Wholesale and retail trade13.7% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical12.3% ×0.9
- Construction10.1% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services9.4% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services5.6% ×0.7
- Manufacturing5.3% ×1.2
- Real estate3.8% ×0.9
Where is Derbyshire Dales?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Derbyshire Dales?
Derbyshire Dales has 72,028 residents (2025), ranking 343 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Derbyshire Dales?
Derbyshire Dales covers 795.4 km², with a density of 91 people per km².
Is the population of Derbyshire Dales growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Derbyshire Dales went from 70,893 to 72,028, a change of +1.6%.
Where is Derbyshire Dales?
Derbyshire Dales is in East Midlands (region). Latitude 53.050, longitude −1.700.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Derbyshire Dales?
In Derbyshire Dales, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.8% (2026), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Derbyshire Dales?
In Derbyshire Dales, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 29.9% (2025), ranking 10 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Derbyshire Dales?
The nearest to Derbyshire Dales are Amber Valley (21 km), Derby (21 km), North East Derbyshire (21 km), Staffordshire Moorlands (23 km), Ashfield (27 km).