Tower Hamlets: population and statistics
Tower Hamlets has a population of 334,240 (2025) across 19.8 km², or 16,906 people per km². It ranks 41 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +18.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 334,240 residents
- 19.8 km²
- 16,906 people/km²
Tower Hamlets in numbers
Population of Tower Hamlets over time
Tower Hamlets had 282,674 residents in 2015 and 334,240 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 306,780 |
| 2021 | 312,715 |
| 2022 | 327,674 |
| 2023 | 333,985 |
| 2024 | 336,153 |
| 2025 | 334,240 |
All indicators for Tower Hamlets
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 | Tower Hamlets | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 6.1% | 12.6% | 20.4% | ranked 361 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.9% | 17.8% | 17.4% | ranked 275 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Tower Hamlets | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 151,530 dwellings | 3,863,730 | 27,429,300 | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 15.7% | 50.9% | 31.6% | ranked 300 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 45.4% | 18.5% | 18.1% | ranked 1 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 120,539 households | 111,538 | 61,440 | ranked 50 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 12.0% | 47.1% | 84.7% | ranked 316 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 87.8% | 52.8% | 14.8% | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 25.7% | 47.2% | 67.3% | ranked 318 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 38.2% | 29.9% | 17.6% | ranked 5 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 35.9% | 22.7% | 14.3% | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £447,796 | £555,175 | £272,474 | ranked 57 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −14.4% | −2.8% | 2.2% | ranked 358 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Tower Hamlets | 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) | 48.4% | 70.7% | 76.7% | ranked 306 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 28.1% | 12.6% | 7.8% | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Tower Hamlets | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 20,440 sites | 611,345 | 3,232,440 | ranked 22 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 61.2 per 1,000 | 67.0 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 33 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 18,200 businesses | 552,505 | 2,786,975 | ranked 21 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £52,000 | £46,514 | £38,490 | ranked 9 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Tower Hamlets | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 72.7% | 74.7% | 76.3% | ranked 257 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.7% | 5.5% | 3.2% | ranked 10 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Tower Hamlets | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 66.4% | 41.3% | 18.5% | ranked 3 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 33 local authorities in London, Tower Hamlets ranks 8 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 6.1% in Tower Hamlets, compared with an average of 12.6% in London and 19.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 45.4% in Tower Hamlets, compared with an average of 18.5% in London and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in London for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in London for “Dwellings built since 2000”.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by electricity only”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,769 football pitches.
- 59.5 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Tower Hamlets
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 technical17.5% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade14.8% ×0.9
- Information and communication13.2% ×2.2
- Administrative and support services10.0% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services8.3% ×1.2
- Real estate6.0% ×1.4
- Construction5.6% ×0.4
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.8
Where is Tower Hamlets?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets has 334,240 residents (2025), ranking 41 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets covers 19.8 km², with a density of 16,906 people per km².
Is the population of Tower Hamlets growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Tower Hamlets went from 282,674 to 334,240, a change of +18.2%.
Where is Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets is in London (region). Latitude 51.510, longitude −0.006.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Tower Hamlets?
In Tower Hamlets, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 6.1% (2025), ranking 361 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Tower Hamlets?
In Tower Hamlets, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 45.4% (2026), ranking 1 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Tower Hamlets?
The nearest to Tower Hamlets are Newham (2.8 km), Greenwich (3.4 km), Southwark (5.2 km), Hackney (5.2 km), City of London (6.0 km).