Braintree: population and statistics
Braintree has a population of 166,471 (2025) across 611.7 km², or 272 people per km². It ranks 147 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +10.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 166,471 residents
- 611.7 km²
- 272 people/km²
Braintree in numbers
Population of Braintree over time
Braintree had 150,908 residents in 2015 and 166,471 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 154,107 |
| 2021 | 155,693 |
| 2022 | 157,495 |
| 2023 | 160,135 |
| 2024 | 163,745 |
| 2025 | 166,471 |
All indicators for Braintree
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 | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.1% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 163 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.0% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 146 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 71,720 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 22.6% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 252 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 24.0% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 53 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 64,983 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 86.3% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 13.4% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 171 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.6% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.1% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 243 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 16.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 108 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £328,477 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 123 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 205 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 65.9% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 264 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.5% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 10.8% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 42 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,625 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 159 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 45.8 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 152 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,745 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 152 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,712 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 148 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.3% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 100 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.7% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 223 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Braintree | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.7% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 242 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Braintree ranks 14 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 10.8% in Braintree, compared with an average of 7.0% in East and 3.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 24.0% in Braintree, compared with an average of 21.0% in East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 85,674 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Chelmsford, 17.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Havering (280,787 residents), 44 km away.
Business sectors: Braintree
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction18.7% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade16.2% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.5% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.4% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.1% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services5.3% ×0.8
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.9% ×1.1
- Information and communication4.6% ×0.7
Where is Braintree?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Braintree?
Braintree has 166,471 residents (2025), ranking 147 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Braintree?
Braintree covers 611.7 km², with a density of 272 people per km².
Is the population of Braintree growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Braintree went from 150,908 to 166,471, a change of +10.3%.
Where is Braintree?
Braintree is in East (region). Latitude 51.882, longitude 0.552.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Braintree?
In Braintree, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 10.8% (2021), ranking 42 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Braintree?
In Braintree, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 24.0% (2026), ranking 53 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Braintree?
The nearest to Braintree are Chelmsford (17 km), Colchester (24 km), Maldon (26 km), Uttlesford (26 km), Babergh (33 km).