Ipswich: population and statistics
Ipswich has a population of 139,457 (2025) across 39.5 km², or 3,531 people per km². It ranks 206 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is stable: −0.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 139,457 residents
- 39.5 km²
- 3,531 people/km²
Ipswich in numbers
Population of Ipswich over time
Ipswich had 139,694 residents in 2015 and 139,457 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 139,889 |
| 2021 | 139,638 |
| 2022 | 139,581 |
| 2023 | 139,698 |
| 2024 | 140,042 |
| 2025 | 139,457 |
All indicators for Ipswich
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 | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.4% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.8% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 43 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 62,930 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 179 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 41.7% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 68 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.2% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 156 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 59,507 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 171 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 75.0% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 249 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 24.9% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 56.0% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 272 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 23.0% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 20.8% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 57 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £221,445 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 249 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 216 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.0% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 182 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 13.8% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 17 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,960 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 211 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.7 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 203 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,755 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 228 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,660 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 235 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.3% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 173 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.5% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 64 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ipswich | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 24.8% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 83 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Ipswich ranks 25 by population.
Households heated by electricity only: 13.8% in Ipswich, compared with an average of 9.5% in East and 8.6% across the UK.
Share of residents aged under 16: 19.8% in Ipswich, compared with an average of 18.4% in East and 17.7% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by electricity only”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,532 football pitches.
- 12.4 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Mid Suffolk, 13.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is East Suffolk (250,106 residents), 28 km away.
Business sectors: Ipswich
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade17.7% ×1.1
- Transport and storage12.8% ×3.1
- Construction11.3% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical9.4% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services9.3% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services7.3% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.8% ×1.2
- Information and communication4.8% ×0.8
Where is Ipswich?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ipswich?
Ipswich has 139,457 residents (2025), ranking 206 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Ipswich?
Ipswich covers 39.5 km², with a density of 3,531 people per km².
Is the population of Ipswich growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Ipswich went from 139,694 to 139,457, a change of −0.2%.
Where is Ipswich?
Ipswich is in East (region). Latitude 52.059, longitude 1.156.
Households heated by electricity only: what is the figure for Ipswich?
In Ipswich, “Households heated by electricity only” stands at 13.8% (2021), ranking 17 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 7.8%.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Ipswich?
In Ipswich, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 19.8% (2025), ranking 43 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Which local authorities border Ipswich?
The nearest to Ipswich are Mid Suffolk (13 km), Babergh (14 km), Colchester (26 km), East Suffolk (28 km), Tendring (31 km).