Middlesbrough: population and statistics
Middlesbrough has a population of 152,795 (2025) across 53.9 km², or 2,836 people per km². It ranks 170 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 152,795 residents
- 53.9 km²
- 2,836 people/km²
Middlesbrough in numbers
Population of Middlesbrough over time
Middlesbrough had 139,602 residents in 2015 and 152,795 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 142,459 |
| 2021 | 143,943 |
| 2022 | 149,095 |
| 2023 | 153,186 |
| 2024 | 154,700 |
| 2025 | 152,795 |
All indicators for Middlesbrough
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 | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.4% | 21.3% | 20.4% | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 20.1% | 17.1% | 17.4% | ranked 37 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 66,860 dwellings | 1,296,150 | 27,429,300 | ranked 166 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.6% | 33.8% | 31.6% | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.7% | 16.3% | 18.1% | ranked 206 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 60,265 households | 124,506 | 61,440 | ranked 164 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.4% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 115 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 12.6% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 186 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 55.5% | 60.5% | 67.3% | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 21.0% | 17.3% | 17.6% | ranked 85 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 23.2% | 22.0% | 14.3% | ranked 38 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £140,909 | £168,472 | £272,474 | ranked 350 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.7% | 4.8% | 2.2% | ranked 106 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.3% | 79.2% | 76.7% | ranked 85 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.9% | 5.2% | 7.8% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 1.6% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,540 sites | 92,455 | 3,232,440 | ranked 283 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 29.7 per 1,000 | 33.5 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 343 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,595 businesses | 74,490 | 2,786,975 | ranked 302 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,177 | £35,016 | £38,490 | ranked 281 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 66.0% | 71.8% | 76.3% | ranked 333 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.2% | 3.7% | 3.2% | ranked 40 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Middlesbrough | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 33.1% | 27.7% | 18.5% | ranked 31 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 12 local authorities in North East, Middlesbrough ranks 8 by population.
Average house price: £140,909 in Middlesbrough, compared with an average of £168,472 in North East and £308,859 across the UK.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Middlesbrough, compared with an average of 1.6% in North East and 3.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North East for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in North East for “Share of residents aged under 16”.
- “Average house price”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,546 football pitches.
- 10.0 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Middlesbrough
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 trade19.1% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical15.4% ×1.1
- Construction13.3% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services8.6% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services8.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.4% ×1.3
- Other service activities4.7% ×1.2
- Manufacturing4.4% ×1.0
Where is Middlesbrough?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Middlesbrough?
Middlesbrough has 152,795 residents (2025), ranking 170 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Middlesbrough?
Middlesbrough covers 53.9 km², with a density of 2,836 people per km².
Is the population of Middlesbrough growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Middlesbrough went from 139,602 to 152,795, a change of +9.5%.
Where is Middlesbrough?
Middlesbrough is in North East (region). Latitude 54.573, longitude −1.238.
Average house price: what is the figure for Middlesbrough?
In Middlesbrough, “Average house price” stands at £140,909 (2026), ranking 350 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is £272,474.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Middlesbrough?
In Middlesbrough, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Which local authorities border Middlesbrough?
The nearest to Middlesbrough are Stockton-on-Tees (6.7 km), Hartlepool (13 km), Redcar and Cleveland (13 km), Darlington (21 km), County Durham (25 km).