Cambridge: population and statistics
Cambridge has a population of 149,872 (2025) across 40.7 km², or 3,682 people per km². It ranks 180 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 149,872 residents
- 40.7 km²
- 3,682 people/km²
Cambridge in numbers
Population of Cambridge over time
Cambridge had 133,654 residents in 2015 and 149,872 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 143,741 |
| 2021 | 145,022 |
| 2022 | 148,886 |
| 2023 | 150,619 |
| 2024 | 151,666 |
| 2025 | 149,872 |
All indicators for Cambridge
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 | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 11.8% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 344 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 13.6% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 352 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 61,120 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 189 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 30.7% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 27.8% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 22 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 52,474 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 64.8% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 281 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 35.0% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 38 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 45.7% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 298 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 31.4% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 20 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 22.7% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £475,151 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 44 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.0% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 262 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.1% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 180 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 43 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,810 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 182 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 45.4 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 160 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,160 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 207 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £43,741 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 69 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.4% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 96 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.0% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 331 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Cambridge | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 34.4% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 27 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Cambridge ranks 21 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 13.6% in Cambridge, compared with an average of 18.4% in East and 17.7% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 2.0% in Cambridge, compared with an average of 3.3% in East and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 20.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East for “Households renting privately”.
- Number 1 in East for “Households without a car or van”.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,700 football pitches.
- 13.0 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Cambridge
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Professional, scientific and technical20.8% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade13.3% ×0.8
- Information and communication11.0% ×1.8
- Accommodation and food services10.1% ×1.4
- Health and social work6.8% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services6.6% ×0.8
- Education5.5% ×2.2
- Construction5.4% ×0.4
Where is Cambridge?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cambridge?
Cambridge has 149,872 residents (2025), ranking 180 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Cambridge?
Cambridge covers 40.7 km², with a density of 3,682 people per km².
Is the population of Cambridge growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Cambridge went from 133,654 to 149,872, a change of +12.1%.
Where is Cambridge?
Cambridge is in East (region). Latitude 52.197, longitude 0.128.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Cambridge?
In Cambridge, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 13.6% (2025), ranking 352 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Cambridge?
In Cambridge, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 2.0% (2026), ranking 331 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Cambridge?
The nearest to Cambridge are South Cambridgeshire (7.4 km), Uttlesford (21 km), East Cambridgeshire (24 km), North Hertfordshire (31 km), East Hertfordshire (34 km).