South Cambridgeshire: population and statistics
South Cambridgeshire has a population of 174,641 (2025) across 901.6 km², or 194 people per km². It ranks 139 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 174,641 residents
- 901.6 km²
- 194 people/km²
South Cambridgeshire in numbers
Population of South Cambridgeshire over time
South Cambridgeshire had 154,962 residents in 2015 and 174,641 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 160,548 |
| 2021 | 163,042 |
| 2022 | 165,766 |
| 2023 | 169,601 |
| 2024 | 172,543 |
| 2025 | 174,641 |
All indicators for South Cambridgeshire
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 | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.0% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 202 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.3% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 72 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 76,090 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 131 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 17.1% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 293 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 31.4% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 5 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 66,996 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 132 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 91.8% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 26 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 7.2% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 295 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 71.4% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 81 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.0% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.5% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 151 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £439,573 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 62 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.2% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 181 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.8% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 63.5% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 275 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.0% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 145 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 14.5% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 26 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,245 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 116 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 52.9 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 78 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,265 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 107 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £48,916 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 20 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 82.3% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 42 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.0% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 331 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | South Cambridgeshire | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 10.9% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 307 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, South Cambridgeshire ranks 13 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 31.4% in South Cambridgeshire, compared with an average of 21.0% in East and 18.6% across the UK.
Households without a car or van: 10.9% in South Cambridgeshire, compared with an average of 16.9% in East and 23.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 21.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East for “Dwellings built since 2000”.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without a car or van”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 126,280 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Cambridge, 7.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Central Bedfordshire (321,605 residents), 42 km away.
Business sectors: South Cambridgeshire
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 technical21.1% ×1.5
- Construction12.3% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade11.3% ×0.7
- Information and communication8.6% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.3
- Health and social work5.3% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.2% ×1.2
Where is South Cambridgeshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Cambridgeshire?
South Cambridgeshire has 174,641 residents (2025), ranking 139 of 361 local authorities.
How big is South Cambridgeshire?
South Cambridgeshire covers 901.6 km², with a density of 194 people per km².
Is the population of South Cambridgeshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of South Cambridgeshire went from 154,962 to 174,641, a change of +12.7%.
Where is South Cambridgeshire?
South Cambridgeshire is in East (region). Latitude 52.132, longitude 0.105.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for South Cambridgeshire?
In South Cambridgeshire, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 31.4% (2026), ranking 5 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Households without a car or van: what is the figure for South Cambridgeshire?
In South Cambridgeshire, “Households without a car or van” stands at 10.9% (2021), ranking 307 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.5%.
Which local authorities border South Cambridgeshire?
The nearest to South Cambridgeshire are Cambridge (7.4 km), Uttlesford (15 km), North Hertfordshire (25 km), East Hertfordshire (27 km), East Cambridgeshire (31 km).