Sunderland: population and statistics
Sunderland has a population of 287,070 (2025) across 137.4 km², or 2,090 people per km². It ranks 66 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 287,070 residents
- 137.4 km²
- 2,090 people/km²
Sunderland in numbers
Population of Sunderland over time
Sunderland had 275,408 residents in 2015 and 287,070 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 273,583 |
| 2021 | 274,378 |
| 2022 | 277,637 |
| 2023 | 282,669 |
| 2024 | 286,696 |
| 2025 | 287,070 |
All indicators for Sunderland
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 | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.2% | 21.3% | 20.4% | ranked 161 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.0% | 17.1% | 17.4% | ranked 209 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 135,490 dwellings | 1,296,150 | 27,429,300 | ranked 48 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.9% | 33.8% | 31.6% | ranked 158 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.2% | 16.3% | 18.1% | ranked 258 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 122,177 households | 124,506 | 61,440 | ranked 46 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) | 12.5% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 190 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 58.5% | 60.5% | 67.3% | ranked 254 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.8% | 17.3% | 17.6% | ranked 252 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 26.6% | 22.0% | 14.3% | ranked 20 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £147,114 | £168,472 | £272,474 | ranked 345 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 4.8% | 4.8% | 2.2% | ranked 68 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.2% | ranked 296 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 79.9% | 79.2% | 76.7% | ranked 93 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.8% | 5.2% | 7.8% | ranked 263 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 1.6% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,830 sites | 92,455 | 3,232,440 | ranked 153 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 27.3 per 1,000 | 33.5 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 357 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,085 businesses | 74,490 | 2,786,975 | ranked 172 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £32,744 | £35,016 | £38,490 | ranked 333 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 70.1% | 71.8% | 76.3% | ranked 301 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.2% | ranked 107 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sunderland | North East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 30.9% | 27.7% | 18.5% | ranked 42 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 12 local authorities in North East, Sunderland ranks 4 by population.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: 27.3 per 1,000 in Sunderland, compared with an average of 33.5 per 1,000 in North East and 46.5 per 1,000 across the UK.
Households without central heating: 0.7% in Sunderland, compared with an average of 0.8% in North East and 1.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Average house price”: lower than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,239 football pitches.
- 7.4 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is South Tyneside, 6.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is County Durham (539,146 residents), 17 km away.
Business sectors: Sunderland
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 trade19.9% ×1.2
- Construction12.5% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services9.8% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical9.5% ×0.7
- Health and social work7.8% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×0.9
- Manufacturing5.9% ×1.4
- Other service activities5.4% ×1.3
Where is Sunderland?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sunderland?
Sunderland has 287,070 residents (2025), ranking 66 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Sunderland?
Sunderland covers 137.4 km², with a density of 2,090 people per km².
Is the population of Sunderland growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sunderland went from 275,408 to 287,070, a change of +4.2%.
Where is Sunderland?
Sunderland is in North East (region). Latitude 54.910, longitude −1.385.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: what is the figure for Sunderland?
In Sunderland, “Business sites per 1,000 residents” stands at 27.3 per 1,000 (2026), ranking 357 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 44.4 per 1,000.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Sunderland?
In Sunderland, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.7% (2021), ranking 296 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Which local authorities border Sunderland?
The nearest to Sunderland are South Tyneside (6.4 km), Gateshead (14 km), North Tyneside (15 km), County Durham (17 km), Newcastle upon Tyne (21 km).