Blackburn with Darwen: population and statistics
Blackburn with Darwen has a population of 163,801 (2025) across 137.0 km², or 1,196 people per km². It ranks 152 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 163,801 residents
- 137.0 km²
- 1,196 people/km²
Blackburn with Darwen in numbers
Population of Blackburn with Darwen over time
Blackburn with Darwen had 150,490 residents in 2015 and 163,801 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 154,564 |
| 2021 | 154,954 |
| 2022 | 155,987 |
| 2023 | 158,543 |
| 2024 | 161,618 |
| 2025 | 163,801 |
All indicators for Blackburn with Darwen
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 | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.4% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 320 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 22.3% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 5 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 64,600 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 173 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 45.8% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 51 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 14.6% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 238 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 58,767 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 174 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 88.1% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 101 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.8% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 61.0% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 20.2% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 96 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.8% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £165,131 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 333 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 5.2% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 60 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.8% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.4% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.5% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 177 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,555 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 191 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 40.0 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 238 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,705 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 186 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £33,076 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 329 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 65.4% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 338 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.7% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 28 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.9% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 62 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Blackburn with Darwen ranks 21 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 22.3% in Blackburn with Darwen, compared with an average of 18.3% in North West and 17.7% across the UK.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 65.4% in Blackburn with Darwen, compared with an average of 73.9% in North West and 75.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 26.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Share of residents aged under 16”.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,190 football pitches.
- 4.2 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Hyndburn, 10.4 km away.
Business sectors: Blackburn with Darwen
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 trade26.0% ×1.6
- Professional, scientific and technical10.3% ×0.7
- Construction8.2% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services8.2% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.7% ×1.4
- Manufacturing7.4% ×1.7
- Accommodation and food services7.2% ×1.0
- Real estate4.7% ×1.1
Where is Blackburn with Darwen?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Blackburn with Darwen?
Blackburn with Darwen has 163,801 residents (2025), ranking 152 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Blackburn with Darwen?
Blackburn with Darwen covers 137.0 km², with a density of 1,196 people per km².
Is the population of Blackburn with Darwen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Blackburn with Darwen went from 150,490 to 163,801, a change of +8.8%.
Where is Blackburn with Darwen?
Blackburn with Darwen is in North West (region). Latitude 53.683, longitude −2.450.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Blackburn with Darwen?
In Blackburn with Darwen, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 22.3% (2025), ranking 5 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Blackburn with Darwen?
In Blackburn with Darwen, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 65.4% (2025-2026), ranking 338 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Which local authorities border Blackburn with Darwen?
The nearest to Blackburn with Darwen are Hyndburn (10 km), Bolton (12 km), Chorley (12 km), Rossendale (13 km), Bury (14 km).