Lincoln: population and statistics
Lincoln has a population of 103,351 (2025) across 35.7 km², or 2,896 people per km². It ranks 289 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 103,351 residents
- 35.7 km²
- 2,896 people/km²
Lincoln in numbers
Population of Lincoln over time
Lincoln had 99,442 residents in 2015 and 103,351 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 103,531 |
| 2021 | 102,411 |
| 2022 | 103,165 |
| 2023 | 104,303 |
| 2024 | 104,939 |
| 2025 | 103,351 |
All indicators for Lincoln
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 | Lincoln | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 15.6% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 304 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.8% | 17.6% | 17.4% | ranked 282 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lincoln | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 47,790 dwellings | 2,253,470 | 27,429,300 | ranked 249 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 34.4% | 29.8% | 31.6% | ranked 132 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.8% | 20.8% | 18.1% | ranked 121 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 42,506 households | 80,736 | 61,440 | ranked 253 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 80.3% | 87.9% | 84.7% | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 19.7% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ranked 113 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 51.4% | 66.0% | 67.3% | ranked 285 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 27.2% | 18.9% | 17.6% | ranked 39 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.1% | 15.0% | 14.3% | ranked 51 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £187,079 | £243,499 | £272,474 | ranked 310 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.2% | ranked 181 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lincoln | 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) | 80.7% | 76.4% | 76.7% | ranked 76 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.2% | 6.4% | 7.8% | ranked 136 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 3.8% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lincoln | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,710 sites | 213,055 | 3,232,440 | ranked 328 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 35.9 per 1,000 | 41.9 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 283 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 2,705 businesses | 183,730 | 2,786,975 | ranked 339 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,301 | £36,281 | £38,490 | ranked 311 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Lincoln | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.8% | 75.6% | 76.3% | ranked 80 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 107 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lincoln | East Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 28.4% | 19.4% | 18.5% | ranked 52 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in East Midlands, Lincoln ranks 26 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Lincoln, compared with an average of 3.8% in East Midlands and 3.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 20.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Registered businesses (enterprises)”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,999 football pitches.
- 10.2 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is North Kesteven, 8.7 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is North Lincolnshire (171,421 residents), 43 km away.
Business sectors: Lincoln
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 trade20.5% ×1.3
- Construction12.7% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical11.3% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services9.4% ×1.3
- Health and social work8.4% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.7% ×1.2
- Transport and storage4.2% ×1.0
Where is Lincoln?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lincoln?
Lincoln has 103,351 residents (2025), ranking 289 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Lincoln?
Lincoln covers 35.7 km², with a density of 2,896 people per km².
Is the population of Lincoln growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lincoln went from 99,442 to 103,351, a change of +3.9%.
Where is Lincoln?
Lincoln is in East Midlands (region). Latitude 53.220, longitude −0.557.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Lincoln?
In Lincoln, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Registered businesses (enterprises): what is the figure for Lincoln?
In Lincoln, “Registered businesses (enterprises)” stands at 2,705 businesses (2026), ranking 339 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 5,780 businesses.
Which local authorities border Lincoln?
The nearest to Lincoln are North Kesteven (8.7 km), West Lindsey (15 km), Newark and Sherwood (29 km), Bassetlaw (33 km), East Lindsey (34 km).