Leicester: population and statistics
Leicester has a population of 383,116 (2025) across 73.3 km², or 5,224 people per km². It ranks 24 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 383,116 residents
- 73.3 km²
- 5,224 people/km²
Leicester in numbers
Population of Leicester over time
Leicester had 349,853 residents in 2015 and 383,116 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 368,922 |
| 2021 | 366,940 |
| 2022 | 373,297 |
| 2023 | 382,934 |
| 2024 | 386,755 |
| 2025 | 383,116 |
All indicators for Leicester
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 | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 12.5% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 339 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.9% | 17.6% | 17.4% | ranked 41 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 145,630 dwellings | 2,253,470 | 27,429,300 | ranked 38 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 46.1% | 29.8% | 31.6% | ranked 48 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.5% | 20.8% | 18.1% | ranked 214 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 127,389 households | 80,736 | 61,440 | ranked 39 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 76.9% | 87.9% | 84.7% | ranked 235 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 23.0% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ranked 83 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 47.2% | 66.0% | 67.3% | ranked 295 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 29.4% | 18.9% | 17.6% | ranked 27 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 23.2% | 15.0% | 14.3% | ranked 38 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £227,322 | £243,499 | £272,474 | ranked 237 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.9% | 2.1% | 2.2% | ranked 290 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.9% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 74.0% | 76.4% | 76.7% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.0% | 6.4% | 7.8% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.0% | 3.8% | 0.9% | ranked 310 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 15,765 sites | 213,055 | 3,232,440 | ranked 44 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 41.1 per 1,000 | 41.9 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 13,905 businesses | 183,730 | 2,786,975 | ranked 43 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £32,281 | £36,281 | £38,490 | ranked 340 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 67.1% | 75.6% | 76.3% | ranked 327 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.4% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 34 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Leicester | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 33.0% | 19.4% | 18.5% | ranked 32 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in East Midlands, Leicester ranks 2 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.0% in Leicester, compared with an average of 3.8% in East Midlands and 3.4% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £32,281 in Leicester, compared with an average of £36,281 in East Midlands and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 24.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East Midlands for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in East Midlands for “Share of residents aged under 16”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 10,272 football pitches.
- 18.4 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Leicester
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 trade24.4% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical8.9% ×0.6
- Accommodation and food services7.7% ×1.1
- Health and social work7.3% ×1.3
- Construction7.1% ×0.6
- Transport and storage6.8% ×1.6
- Finance and insurance6.5% ×3.0
- Manufacturing6.4% ×1.5
Where is Leicester?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Leicester?
Leicester has 383,116 residents (2025), ranking 24 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Leicester?
Leicester covers 73.3 km², with a density of 5,224 people per km².
Is the population of Leicester growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Leicester went from 349,853 to 383,116, a change of +9.5%.
Where is Leicester?
Leicester is in East Midlands (region). Latitude 52.633, longitude −1.133.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Leicester?
In Leicester, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.0% (2021), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Leicester?
In Leicester, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £32,281 (2025), ranking 340 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Leicester?
The nearest to Leicester are Oadby and Wigston (5.3 km), Blaby (8.3 km), Charnwood (12 km), Harborough (13 km), Hinckley and Bosworth (15 km).