County Durham: population and statistics
County Durham has a population of 539,146 (2025) across 2,230.8 km², or 242 people per km². It ranks 11 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 539,146 residents
- 2,230.8 km²
- 242 people/km²
County Durham in numbers
Population of County Durham over time
County Durham had 513,924 residents in 2015 and 539,146 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 519,204 |
| 2021 | 521,447 |
| 2022 | 527,377 |
| 2023 | 533,311 |
| 2024 | 536,793 |
| 2025 | 539,146 |
All indicators for County Durham
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 | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.3% | 21.3% | 20.4% | ranked 129 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.1% | 17.1% | 17.4% | ranked 262 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 257,340 dwellings | 1,296,150 | 27,429,300 | ranked 7 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 35.4% | 33.8% | 31.6% | ranked 121 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.6% | 16.3% | 18.1% | ranked 165 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 234,764 households | 124,506 | 61,440 | ranked 6 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 94.4% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 5.4% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 314 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 62.8% | 60.5% | 67.3% | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.1% | 17.3% | 17.6% | ranked 177 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 20.0% | 22.0% | 14.3% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £140,447 | £168,472 | £272,474 | ranked 351 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 4.7% | 4.8% | 2.2% | ranked 70 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.6% | 0.8% | 1.2% | ranked 311 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.2% | 79.2% | 76.7% | ranked 87 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 3.1% | 5.2% | 7.8% | ranked 310 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.4% | 1.6% | 0.9% | ranked 126 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 18,115 sites | 92,455 | 3,232,440 | ranked 28 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 33.6 per 1,000 | 33.5 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 311 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 14,825 businesses | 74,490 | 2,786,975 | ranked 38 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £33,436 | £35,016 | £38,490 | ranked 326 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 73.8% | 71.8% | 76.3% | ranked 230 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.2% | 3.7% | 3.2% | ranked 169 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | County Durham | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 24.1% | 27.7% | 18.5% | ranked 90 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 12 local authorities in North East, County Durham ranks 1 by population.
Households living in a house or bungalow: 94.4% in County Durham, compared with an average of 85.3% in North East and 77.6% across the UK.
Households without central heating: 0.6% in County Durham, compared with an average of 0.8% in North East and 1.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North East for “Population”.
- Number 1 in North East for “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”.
- “Households living in a house or bungalow”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 312,443 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Sunderland, 17.4 km away.
Business sectors: County Durham
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade16.5% ×1.0
- Construction14.1% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.1% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services8.7% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.5% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services6.7% ×0.8
- Health and social work6.0% ×1.1
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.3
Where is County Durham?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of County Durham?
County Durham has 539,146 residents (2025), ranking 11 of 361 local authorities.
How big is County Durham?
County Durham covers 2,230.8 km², with a density of 242 people per km².
Is the population of County Durham growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of County Durham went from 513,924 to 539,146, a change of +4.9%.
Where is County Durham?
County Durham is in North East (region). Latitude 54.761, longitude −1.466.
Households living in a house or bungalow: what is the figure for County Durham?
In County Durham, “Households living in a house or bungalow” stands at 94.4% (2021), ranking 3 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 84.7%.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for County Durham?
In County Durham, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.6% (2021), ranking 311 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Which local authorities border County Durham?
The nearest to County Durham are Sunderland (17 km), Hartlepool (18 km), South Tyneside (22 km), Gateshead (23 km), Stockton-on-Tees (25 km).