Peterborough: population and statistics
Peterborough has a population of 224,757 (2025) across 343.4 km², or 654 people per km². It ranks 98 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 224,757 residents
- 343.4 km²
- 654 people/km²
Peterborough in numbers
Population of Peterborough over time
Peterborough had 200,246 residents in 2015 and 224,757 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 213,718 |
| 2021 | 216,470 |
| 2022 | 218,712 |
| 2023 | 221,822 |
| 2024 | 224,152 |
| 2025 | 224,757 |
All indicators for Peterborough
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 | Peterborough | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.5% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 317 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 22.2% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 7 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Peterborough | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 92,430 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 98 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 17.7% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 288 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 25.6% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 36 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 84,533 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.5% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 176 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 16.8% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 140 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 56.9% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 268 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 24.4% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 56 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.6% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 81 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £234,690 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 223 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.2% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 267 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Peterborough | 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) | 76.7% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 154 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.9% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 151 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.1% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 131 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Peterborough | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,655 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 100 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 43.0 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 199 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,085 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 115 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,196 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 278 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Peterborough | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.1% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 134 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.4% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 34 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Peterborough | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 22.7% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 102 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Peterborough ranks 4 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 22.2% in Peterborough, compared with an average of 18.4% in East and 17.7% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 17.7% in Peterborough, compared with an average of 23.4% in East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 48,095 football pitches.
- 2.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is South Holland, 16.8 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is North Northamptonshire (379,569 residents), 29 km away.
Business sectors: Peterborough
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 trade19.2% ×1.2
- Transport and storage13.3% ×3.2
- Construction10.7% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical9.8% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×0.9
- Health and social work6.1% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services6.1% ×0.9
- Real estate5.0% ×1.1
Where is Peterborough?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Peterborough?
Peterborough has 224,757 residents (2025), ranking 98 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Peterborough?
Peterborough covers 343.4 km², with a density of 654 people per km².
Is the population of Peterborough growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Peterborough went from 200,246 to 224,757, a change of +12.2%.
Where is Peterborough?
Peterborough is in East (region). Latitude 52.617, longitude −0.267.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Peterborough?
In Peterborough, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 22.2% (2025), ranking 7 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Peterborough?
In Peterborough, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 17.7% (2026), ranking 288 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border Peterborough?
The nearest to Peterborough are South Holland (17 km), Fenland (22 km), Huntingdonshire (22 km), Rutland (25 km), South Kesteven (26 km).