Southwark: population and statistics
Southwark has a population of 312,366 (2025) across 28.9 km², or 10,816 people per km². It ranks 54 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +2.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 312,366 residents
- 28.9 km²
- 10,816 people/km²
Southwark in numbers
Population of Southwark over time
Southwark had 304,048 residents in 2015 and 312,366 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 312,055 |
| 2021 | 306,762 |
| 2022 | 311,089 |
| 2023 | 316,080 |
| 2024 | 317,058 |
| 2025 | 312,366 |
All indicators for Southwark
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 | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 9.6% | 12.6% | 20.4% | ranked 355 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.7% | 17.8% | 17.4% | ranked 332 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 151,430 dwellings | 3,863,730 | 27,429,300 | ranked 33 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.4% | 50.9% | 31.6% | ranked 162 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 27.4% | 18.5% | 18.1% | ranked 27 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 130,820 households | 111,538 | 61,440 | ranked 37 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 21.8% | 47.1% | 84.7% | ranked 311 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 78.0% | 52.8% | 14.8% | ranked 8 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 31.3% | 47.2% | 67.3% | ranked 313 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 28.7% | 29.9% | 17.6% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 39.7% | 22.7% | 14.3% | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £572,478 | £555,175 | £272,474 | ranked 19 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.1% | −2.8% | 2.2% | ranked 258 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 3.1% | 2.2% | 1.2% | ranked 7 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 56.1% | 70.7% | 76.7% | ranked 293 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 17.7% | 12.6% | 7.8% | ranked 8 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 19,270 sites | 611,345 | 3,232,440 | ranked 25 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 61.7 per 1,000 | 67.0 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 29 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 16,345 businesses | 552,505 | 2,786,975 | ranked 25 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £48,681 | £46,514 | £38,490 | ranked 21 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.5% | 74.7% | 76.3% | ranked 195 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.6% | 5.5% | 3.2% | ranked 29 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Southwark | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 60.3% | 41.3% | 18.5% | ranked 7 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 33 local authorities in London, Southwark ranks 13 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 9.6% in Southwark, compared with an average of 12.6% in London and 19.4% across the UK.
Households in social housing: 39.7% in Southwark, compared with an average of 22.7% in London and 17.1% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 21.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households in social housing”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,045 football pitches.
- 38.0 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is City of London, 1.6 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 58 km away.
Business sectors: Southwark
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 technical21.4% ×1.5
- Information and communication11.7% ×1.9
- Administrative and support services11.7% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade11.5% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services8.0% ×1.1
- Construction5.5% ×0.4
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.2% ×1.8
- Health and social work5.1% ×0.9
Where is Southwark?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Southwark?
Southwark has 312,366 residents (2025), ranking 54 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Southwark?
Southwark covers 28.9 km², with a density of 10,816 people per km².
Is the population of Southwark growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Southwark went from 304,048 to 312,366, a change of +2.7%.
Where is Southwark?
Southwark is in London (region). Latitude 51.503, longitude −0.081.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Southwark?
In Southwark, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 9.6% (2025), ranking 355 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Households in social housing: what is the figure for Southwark?
In Southwark, “Households in social housing” stands at 39.7% (2021), ranking 3 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.3%.
Which local authorities border Southwark?
The nearest to Southwark are City of London (1.6 km), Westminster (4.0 km), Islington (4.5 km), Hackney (4.9 km), Tower Hamlets (5.2 km).