Harlow: population and statistics
Harlow has a population of 98,543 (2025) across 30.5 km², or 3,227 people per km². It ranks 303 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 98,543 residents
- 30.5 km²
- 3,227 people/km²
Harlow in numbers
Population of Harlow over time
Harlow had 87,797 residents in 2015 and 98,543 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 92,415 |
| 2021 | 93,428 |
| 2022 | 94,556 |
| 2023 | 96,341 |
| 2024 | 98,130 |
| 2025 | 98,543 |
All indicators for Harlow
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 | Harlow | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.7% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 314 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 21.6% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 12 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Harlow | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 40,610 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 283 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 2.3% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 318 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.1% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 178 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 37,856 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 279 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 72.9% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 263 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 27.0% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 54 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 55.1% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 275 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.4% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 232 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 29.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 13 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £319,860 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 133 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 4.4% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 84 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Harlow | 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) | 79.5% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 98 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.0% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 145 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Harlow | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,230 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 300 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.9 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 200 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,645 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 298 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,380 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 179 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Harlow | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.0% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 57 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.6% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 57 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Harlow | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 21.7% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 116 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Harlow ranks 36 by population.
Dwellings built before 1940: 2.3% in Harlow, compared with an average of 23.4% in East and 34.9% across the UK.
Share of residents aged under 16: 21.6% in Harlow, compared with an average of 18.4% in East and 17.7% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 19.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,277 football pitches.
- 11.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Epping Forest, 7.3 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is East Hertfordshire (158,033 residents), 17 km away.
Business sectors: Harlow
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction19.4% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade17.4% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical9.6% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services9.2% ×1.1
- Health and social work8.0% ×1.4
- Transport and storage7.0% ×1.7
- Manufacturing5.1% ×1.2
- Information and communication5.1% ×0.8
Where is Harlow?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Harlow?
Harlow has 98,543 residents (2025), ranking 303 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Harlow?
Harlow covers 30.5 km², with a density of 3,227 people per km².
Is the population of Harlow growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Harlow went from 87,797 to 98,543, a change of +12.2%.
Where is Harlow?
Harlow is in East (region). Latitude 51.765, longitude 0.113.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Harlow?
In Harlow, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 2.3% (2026), ranking 318 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Harlow?
In Harlow, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 21.6% (2025), ranking 12 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Which local authorities border Harlow?
The nearest to Harlow are Epping Forest (7.3 km), Broxbourne (12 km), East Hertfordshire (17 km), Enfield (18 km), Welwyn Hatfield (21 km).