Northumberland: population and statistics
Northumberland has a population of 333,975 (2025) across 5,032.3 km², or 66.4 people per km². It ranks 42 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 333,975 residents
- 5,032.3 km²
- 66 people/km²
Northumberland in numbers
Population of Northumberland over time
Northumberland had 314,188 residents in 2015 and 333,975 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 318,490 |
| 2021 | 321,532 |
| 2022 | 324,293 |
| 2023 | 327,366 |
| 2024 | 330,615 |
| 2025 | 333,975 |
All indicators for Northumberland
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 | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.2% | 21.3% | 20.4% | ranked 37 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.4% | 17.1% | 17.4% | ranked 301 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 163,800 dwellings | 1,296,150 | 27,429,300 | ranked 24 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 33.1% | 33.8% | 31.6% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.9% | 16.3% | 18.1% | ranked 162 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 146,922 households | 124,506 | 61,440 | ranked 26 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.1% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.7% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 231 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 65.7% | 60.5% | 67.3% | ranked 185 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 16.4% | 17.3% | 17.6% | ranked 192 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 17.8% | 22.0% | 14.3% | ranked 91 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £212,563 | £168,472 | £272,474 | ranked 267 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.3% | 4.8% | 2.2% | ranked 20 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.2% | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 70.8% | 79.2% | 76.7% | ranked 232 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.5% | 5.2% | 7.8% | ranked 272 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 7.5% | 1.6% | 0.9% | ranked 67 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 13,790 sites | 92,455 | 3,232,440 | ranked 57 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 41.3 per 1,000 | 33.5 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 217 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 11,600 businesses | 74,490 | 2,786,975 | ranked 58 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,721 | £35,016 | £38,490 | ranked 202 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 72.8% | 71.8% | 76.3% | ranked 254 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.9% | 3.7% | 3.2% | ranked 206 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Northumberland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 19.7% | 27.7% | 18.5% | ranked 138 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 12 local authorities in North East, Northumberland ranks 2 by population.
House price change over 12 months: 7.3% in Northumberland, compared with an average of 4.8% in North East and 1.9% across the UK.
Households without central heating: 0.8% in Northumberland, compared with an average of 0.8% in North East and 1.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 14.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North East for “Share of residents aged 65 and over”.
- Number 1 in North East for “Average house price”.
- “House price change over 12 months”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 93% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 704,805 football pitches.
- 4.3 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: Northumberland
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 trade14.6% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.5% ×3.0
- Construction11.5% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical11.0% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services9.2% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.4% ×1.0
Where is Northumberland?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Northumberland?
Northumberland has 333,975 residents (2025), ranking 42 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Northumberland?
Northumberland covers 5,032.3 km², with a density of 66 people per km².
Is the population of Northumberland growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Northumberland went from 314,188 to 333,975, a change of +6.3%.
Where is Northumberland?
Northumberland is in North East (region). Latitude 55.167, longitude −2.000.
House price change over 12 months: what is the figure for Northumberland?
In Northumberland, “House price change over 12 months” stands at 7.3% (2026), ranking 20 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is 2.2%.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Northumberland?
In Northumberland, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.8% (2021), ranking 273 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Which local authorities border Northumberland?
The nearest to Northumberland are Newcastle upon Tyne (28 km), North Tyneside (34 km), Gateshead (35 km), Scottish Borders (38 km), South Tyneside (43 km).