Epping Forest: population and statistics
Epping Forest has a population of 138,394 (2025) across 339.0 km², or 408 people per km². It ranks 210 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +5.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 138,394 residents
- 339.0 km²
- 408 people/km²
Epping Forest in numbers
Population of Epping Forest over time
Epping Forest had 130,848 residents in 2015 and 138,394 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 134,569 |
| 2021 | 134,941 |
| 2022 | 134,985 |
| 2023 | 136,224 |
| 2024 | 137,184 |
| 2025 | 138,394 |
All indicators for Epping Forest
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 | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.4% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 181 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.4% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 125 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 58,910 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 198 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 24.4% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 233 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.1% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 260 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 54,559 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 191 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 77.1% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 233 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 21.6% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 91 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 70.3% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 99 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.9% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.7% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 145 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £525,719 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 30 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −1.6% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 312 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.8% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.7% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 3.4% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 107 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,300 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 115 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 67.2 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 18 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,800 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 89 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £45,618 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 44 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.9% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 47 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 | Epping Forest | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.0% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 237 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Epping Forest ranks 26 by population.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: 67.2 per 1,000 in Epping Forest, compared with an average of 47.8 per 1,000 in East and 46.5 per 1,000 across the UK.
Average house price: £525,719 in Epping Forest, compared with an average of £353,838 in East and £308,859 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 21.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Average house price”: higher than in 92% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 47,476 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Harlow, 7.3 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Enfield (329,400 residents), 14 km away.
Business sectors: Epping Forest
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction21.8% ×1.7
- Wholesale and retail trade13.8% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical13.1% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.4% ×1.2
- Real estate7.2% ×1.6
- Information and communication5.5% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services4.7% ×0.7
- Health and social work4.0% ×0.7
Where is Epping Forest?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Epping Forest?
Epping Forest has 138,394 residents (2025), ranking 210 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Epping Forest?
Epping Forest covers 339.0 km², with a density of 408 people per km².
Is the population of Epping Forest growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Epping Forest went from 130,848 to 138,394, a change of +5.8%.
Where is Epping Forest?
Epping Forest is in East (region). Latitude 51.700, longitude 0.117.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: what is the figure for Epping Forest?
In Epping Forest, “Business sites per 1,000 residents” stands at 67.2 per 1,000 (2026), ranking 18 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 44.4 per 1,000.
Average house price: what is the figure for Epping Forest?
In Epping Forest, “Average house price” stands at £525,719 (2026), ranking 30 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is £272,474.
Which local authorities border Epping Forest?
The nearest to Epping Forest are Harlow (7.3 km), Broxbourne (12 km), Enfield (14 km), Waltham Forest (15 km), Redbridge (16 km).