Waltham Forest: population and statistics
Waltham Forest has a population of 283,713 (2025) across 38.8 km², or 7,310 people per km². It ranks 68 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 283,713 residents
- 38.8 km²
- 7,310 people/km²
Waltham Forest in numbers
Population of Waltham Forest over time
Waltham Forest had 274,579 residents in 2015 and 283,713 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 279,527 |
| 2021 | 278,147 |
| 2022 | 278,274 |
| 2023 | 281,983 |
| 2024 | 283,782 |
| 2025 | 283,713 |
All indicators for Waltham Forest
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 | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 11.0% | 12.6% | 20.4% | ranked 349 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.9% | 17.8% | 17.4% | ranked 92 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 111,800 dwellings | 3,863,730 | 27,429,300 | ranked 78 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 63.5% | 50.9% | 31.6% | ranked 5 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 14.6% | 18.5% | 18.1% | ranked 238 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 102,901 households | 111,538 | 61,440 | ranked 76 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 55.1% | 47.1% | 84.7% | ranked 298 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 44.8% | 52.8% | 14.8% | ranked 21 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 50.6% | 47.2% | 67.3% | ranked 286 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 27.8% | 29.9% | 17.6% | ranked 37 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.5% | 22.7% | 14.3% | ranked 47 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £529,102 | £555,175 | £272,474 | ranked 28 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.8% | −2.8% | 2.2% | ranked 146 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.1% | 2.2% | 1.2% | ranked 42 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.6% | 70.7% | 76.7% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 9.5% | 12.6% | 7.8% | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 13,380 sites | 611,345 | 3,232,440 | ranked 60 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 47.2 per 1,000 | 67.0 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 141 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 12,415 businesses | 552,505 | 2,786,975 | ranked 53 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £45,350 | £46,514 | £38,490 | ranked 45 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.7% | 74.7% | 76.3% | ranked 84 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.5% | 5.5% | 3.2% | ranked 14 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Waltham Forest | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 42.1% | 41.3% | 18.5% | ranked 17 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 33 local authorities in London, Waltham Forest ranks 17 by population.
Dwellings built before 1940: 63.5% in Waltham Forest, compared with an average of 50.9% in London and 34.9% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 11.0% in Waltham Forest, compared with an average of 12.6% in London and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 17.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: higher than in 99% 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 5,436 football pitches.
- 25.7 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Hackney, 6.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 58 km away.
Business sectors: Waltham Forest
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction17.1% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade15.8% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical14.9% ×1.1
- Information and communication9.3% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×1.0
- Other service activities4.6% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.5% ×0.8
Where is Waltham Forest?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Waltham Forest?
Waltham Forest has 283,713 residents (2025), ranking 68 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Waltham Forest?
Waltham Forest covers 38.8 km², with a density of 7,310 people per km².
Is the population of Waltham Forest growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Waltham Forest went from 274,579 to 283,713, a change of +3.3%.
Where is Waltham Forest?
Waltham Forest is in London (region). Latitude 51.591, longitude −0.014.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Waltham Forest?
In Waltham Forest, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 63.5% (2026), ranking 5 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Waltham Forest?
In Waltham Forest, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 11.0% (2025), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Waltham Forest?
The nearest to Waltham Forest are Hackney (6.0 km), Haringey (6.9 km), Redbridge (7.1 km), Islington (8.2 km), Enfield (8.4 km).