Region
North West: local authorities in numbers
North West has 35 local authorities and 7,772,854 residents across 14,167 km², or 549 people per km². Population: +8.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 7,772,854 residents
- 35 local authorities
- 14,167 km²
- 549 people/km²
Map and records: North West
All local authorities in North West
Click a column heading to sort the table.
| Local authority | Population | Population change over 10 years | Population density | Area | Share of residents aged 65 and over | Share of residents aged under 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 588,256 | +12.4% | 5,086 people/km² | 115.7 | 9.6% | 19.0% |
| Liverpool | 507,915 | +8.1% | 4,541 people/km² | 111.8 | 15.7% | 16.7% |
| Cheshire East | 425,459 | +12.4% | 364.8 people/km² | 1,166 | 22.9% | 17.2% |
| Cheshire West and Chester | 373,951 | +10.3% | 406.5 people/km² | 920.0 | 22.0% | 16.6% |
| Wigan | 347,089 | +8.2% | 1,845 people/km² | 188.2 | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Wirral | 329,896 | +2.9% | 2,050 people/km² | 160.9 | 23.0% | 17.5% |
| Bolton | 309,732 | +8.7% | 2,216 people/km² | 139.8 | 17.2% | 21.2% |
| Stockport | 304,879 | +5.8% | 2,419 people/km² | 126.0 | 20.4% | 18.7% |
| Salford | 297,004 | +20.3% | 3,056 people/km² | 97.2 | 12.6% | 18.8% |
| Sefton | 287,583 | +4.4% | 1,836 people/km² | 156.6 | 24.2% | 16.7% |
| Cumberland | 282,343 | +3.0% | 93.0 people/km² | 3,036 | 24.5% | 16.2% |
| Oldham | 251,915 | +8.3% | 1,770 people/km² | 142.3 | 16.0% | 22.2% |
| Trafford | 240,981 | +3.6% | 2,272 people/km² | 106.0 | 17.9% | 20.5% |
| Tameside | 240,822 | +7.7% | 2,335 people/km² | 103.2 | 17.7% | 19.2% |
| Rochdale | 237,641 | +10.8% | 1,503 people/km² | 158.1 | 16.5% | 21.5% |
| Westmorland and Furness | 231,307 | +3.0% | 61.0 people/km² | 3,790 | 27.1% | 14.5% |
| Warrington | 215,425 | +2.8% | 1,193 people/km² | 180.6 | 20.2% | 17.8% |
| Bury | 199,271 | +5.3% | 2,004 people/km² | 99.5 | 18.7% | 19.6% |
| St. Helens | 189,890 | +6.5% | 1,393 people/km² | 136.4 | 20.7% | 17.3% |
| Preston | 164,498 | +17.0% | 1,156 people/km² | 142.3 | 14.5% | 19.7% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 163,801 | +8.8% | 1,196 people/km² | 137.0 | 14.4% | 22.3% |
| Knowsley | 163,723 | +11.1% | 1,893 people/km² | 86.5 | 17.7% | 19.8% |
| Lancaster | 145,237 | +5.2% | 256.1 people/km² | 567.0 | 21.5% | 15.8% |
| Blackpool | 143,492 | +1.2% | 4,113 people/km² | 34.9 | 21.2% | 17.4% |
| Halton | 131,912 | +4.3% | 1,668 people/km² | 79.1 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| West Lancashire | 123,564 | +8.8% | 356.5 people/km² | 346.6 | 22.8% | 16.1% |
| Chorley | 121,814 | +8.4% | 600.8 people/km² | 202.8 | 21.3% | 17.3% |
| Wyre | 120,528 | +11.1% | 426.8 people/km² | 282.4 | 29.0% | 15.0% |
| South Ribble | 117,554 | +7.0% | 1,039 people/km² | 113.2 | 22.2% | 16.9% |
| Burnley | 100,946 | +13.1% | 912.1 people/km² | 110.7 | 18.1% | 20.1% |
| Pendle | 100,203 | +9.5% | 591.5 people/km² | 169.4 | 18.5% | 20.8% |
| Hyndburn | 86,908 | +7.6% | 1,191 people/km² | 73.0 | 18.1% | 19.6% |
| Fylde | 86,689 | +12.4% | 523.2 people/km² | 165.7 | 29.8% | 14.3% |
| Rossendale | 73,688 | +6.5% | 533.8 people/km² | 138.0 | 19.7% | 18.5% |
| Ribble Valley | 66,938 | +14.9% | 114.5 people/km² | 584.5 | 25.4% | 15.8% |
North West compared with the UK
Population-weighted averages for rates; totals for counts.
| Indicator | North West | the United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over | 19.1% | 19.4% |
| Share of residents aged under 16 | 18.3% | 17.7% |
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) | 3,492,580 dwellings | 27,429,300 dwellings |
| Dwellings built before 1940 | 39.3% | 34.9% |
| Dwellings built since 2000 | 16.5% | 18.6% |
| Households (Census 2021) | 116,581 households | 111,842 households |
| Households living in a house or bungalow | 83.7% | 77.6% |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette | 16.0% | 22.0% |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) | 62.7% | 62.3% |
| Households renting privately | 19.4% | 20.4% |
| Households in social housing | 17.8% | 17.1% |
| Average house price | £227,208 | £308,859 |
| House price change over 12 months | 4.7% | 1.9% |
| Households without central heating | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Households heated by mains gas only | 78.6% | 73.9% |
| Households heated by electricity only | 7.4% | 8.6% |
| Households heated by oil only | 1.3% | 3.4% |
| Business sites (local units) | 319,350 sites | 3,232,440 sites |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents | 41.1 per 1,000 | 46.5 per 1,000 |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) | 272,085 businesses | 2,786,975 businesses |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) | £37,482 | £39,498 |
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 | 73.9% | 75.6% |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| Households without a car or van | 24.9% | 23.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How many local authorities are there in North West?
North West has 35 local authorities. The most populous is Manchester, with 588,256 residents.
What is the population of North West?
North West has 7,772,854 residents (2025), or 549 people per km².
Which local authority in North West is growing fastest?
Salford has the fastest growth in North West over 10 years: +20.3%.