Colchester: population and statistics
Colchester has a population of 201,163 (2025) across 332.3 km², or 605 people per km². It ranks 113 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 201,163 residents
- 332.3 km²
- 605 people/km²
Colchester in numbers
Population of Colchester over time
Colchester had 183,242 residents in 2015 and 201,163 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 191,979 |
| 2021 | 192,658 |
| 2022 | 194,696 |
| 2023 | 198,691 |
| 2024 | 199,730 |
| 2025 | 201,163 |
All indicators for Colchester
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 | Colchester | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.3% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 247 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.8% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 99 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Colchester | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 87,180 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 105 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 21.1% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 265 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 26.4% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 79,711 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 107 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 79.5% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 211 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 20.3% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 104 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 65.1% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 194 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 21.5% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 77 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 195 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £297,824 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 155 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.5% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 276 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Colchester | 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) | 69.9% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.7% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 6.2% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 79 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Colchester | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,710 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 134 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 43.3 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 194 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,510 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 132 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,353 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 153 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Colchester | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.3% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 221 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 169 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Colchester | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 18.2% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 164 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Colchester ranks 5 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 26.4% in Colchester, compared with an average of 21.0% in East and 18.6% across the UK.
Households heated by electricity only: 11.7% in Colchester, compared with an average of 9.5% in East and 8.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
Business sectors: Colchester
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction16.0% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade16.0% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical13.4% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services8.5% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.9% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.0% ×0.8
- Information and communication5.9% ×1.0
- Real estate4.3% ×1.0
Where is Colchester?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Colchester?
Colchester has 201,163 residents (2025), ranking 113 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Colchester?
Colchester covers 332.3 km², with a density of 605 people per km².
Is the population of Colchester growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Colchester went from 183,242 to 201,163, a change of +9.8%.
Where is Colchester?
Colchester is in East (region). Latitude 51.889, longitude 0.904.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Colchester?
In Colchester, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 26.4% (2026), ranking 32 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Households heated by electricity only: what is the figure for Colchester?
In Colchester, “Households heated by electricity only” stands at 11.7% (2021), ranking 41 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 7.8%.
Which local authorities border Colchester?
The nearest to Colchester are Babergh (18 km), Tendring (20 km), Braintree (24 km), Maldon (25 km), Ipswich (26 km).