Dacorum: population and statistics
Dacorum has a population of 162,316 (2025) across 212.5 km², or 764 people per km². It ranks 156 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 162,316 residents
- 212.5 km²
- 764 people/km²
Dacorum in numbers
Population of Dacorum over time
Dacorum had 150,906 residents in 2015 and 162,316 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 154,815 |
| 2021 | 155,211 |
| 2022 | 156,239 |
| 2023 | 158,612 |
| 2024 | 161,139 |
| 2025 | 162,316 |
All indicators for Dacorum
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 | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.0% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 255 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.8% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 43 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 68,490 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 155 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 18.0% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 282 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.3% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 173 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 63,412 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 148 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 76.2% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 241 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 23.3% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 80 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 64.5% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 203 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.3% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 267 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.0% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 52 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £459,235 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 50 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.0% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 134 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 78.8% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 115 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.2% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 136 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.4% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 146 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,190 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 118 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 56.6 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 55 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,145 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 113 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £44,485 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 56 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 87.5% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 7 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 | Dacorum | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.5% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 227 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Dacorum ranks 15 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 87.5% in Dacorum, compared with an average of 78.4% in East and 75.6% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 18.0% in Dacorum, compared with an average of 23.4% in East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East for “Employment rate, aged 16-64”.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 29,759 football pitches.
- 2.7 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is St Albans, 13.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 18 km away.
Business sectors: Dacorum
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 technical17.1% ×1.2
- Construction15.7% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade13.1% ×0.8
- Information and communication9.3% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services9.1% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.3% ×0.7
- Health and social work4.7% ×0.8
- Transport and storage4.1% ×1.0
Where is Dacorum?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dacorum?
Dacorum has 162,316 residents (2025), ranking 156 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Dacorum?
Dacorum covers 212.5 km², with a density of 764 people per km².
Is the population of Dacorum growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Dacorum went from 150,906 to 162,316, a change of +7.6%.
Where is Dacorum?
Dacorum is in East (region). Latitude 51.767, longitude −0.533.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Dacorum?
In Dacorum, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 87.5% (2025-2026), ranking 7 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Dacorum?
In Dacorum, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 18.0% (2026), ranking 282 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border Dacorum?
The nearest to Dacorum are St Albans (14 km), Watford (14 km), Three Rivers (15 km), Luton (16 km), Buckinghamshire (18 km).