Lewisham: population and statistics
Lewisham has a population of 301,037 (2025) across 35.1 km², or 8,564 people per km². It ranks 60 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 301,037 residents
- 35.1 km²
- 8,564 people/km²
Lewisham in numbers
Population of Lewisham over time
Lewisham had 295,364 residents in 2015 and 301,037 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 304,169 |
| 2021 | 300,013 |
| 2022 | 300,122 |
| 2023 | 301,374 |
| 2024 | 302,432 |
| 2025 | 301,037 |
All indicators for Lewisham
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 | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 10.8% | 12.6% | 20.4% | ranked 350 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.6% | 17.8% | 17.4% | ranked 167 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 134,760 dwellings | 3,863,730 | 27,429,300 | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 51.7% | 50.9% | 31.6% | ranked 29 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.3% | 18.5% | 18.1% | ranked 173 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 122,393 households | 111,538 | 61,440 | ranked 45 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 42.2% | 47.1% | 84.7% | ranked 306 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 57.7% | 52.8% | 14.8% | ranked 13 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 43.4% | 47.2% | 67.3% | ranked 302 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 27.2% | 29.9% | 17.6% | ranked 39 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 29.2% | 22.7% | 14.3% | ranked 14 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £488,658 | £555,175 | £272,474 | ranked 35 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.7% | −2.8% | 2.2% | ranked 238 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.2% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 71.5% | 70.7% | 76.7% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.8% | 12.6% | 7.8% | ranked 40 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 11,085 sites | 611,345 | 3,232,440 | ranked 80 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 36.8 per 1,000 | 67.0 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 273 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 9,875 businesses | 552,505 | 2,786,975 | ranked 77 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £45,702 | £46,514 | £38,490 | ranked 43 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.1% | 74.7% | 76.3% | ranked 108 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.8% | 5.5% | 3.2% | ranked 9 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lewisham | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 47.7% | 41.3% | 18.5% | ranked 14 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 33 local authorities in London, Lewisham ranks 15 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 6.8% in Lewisham, compared with an average of 5.5% in London and 3.8% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 10.8% in Lewisham, compared with an average of 12.6% in London and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,923 football pitches.
- 30.1 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Greenwich, 4.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 65 km away.
Business sectors: Lewisham
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 technical17.2% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.1% ×0.9
- Information and communication11.6% ×1.9
- Construction9.8% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services8.3% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.6% ×1.2
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.0% ×2.0
Where is Lewisham?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lewisham?
Lewisham has 301,037 residents (2025), ranking 60 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Lewisham?
Lewisham covers 35.1 km², with a density of 8,564 people per km².
Is the population of Lewisham growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lewisham went from 295,364 to 301,037, a change of +1.9%.
Where is Lewisham?
Lewisham is in London (region). Latitude 51.445, longitude −0.020.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Lewisham?
In Lewisham, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 6.8% (2026), ranking 9 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Lewisham?
In Lewisham, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 10.8% (2025), ranking 350 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Lewisham?
The nearest to Lewisham are Greenwich (4.1 km), Bromley (5.3 km), Lambeth (6.9 km), Tower Hamlets (7.3 km), Southwark (7.7 km).