Bolton: population and statistics
Bolton has a population of 309,732 (2025) across 139.8 km², or 2,216 people per km². It ranks 55 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 309,732 residents
- 139.8 km²
- 2,216 people/km²
Bolton in numbers
Population of Bolton over time
Bolton had 284,972 residents in 2015 and 309,732 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 295,712 |
| 2021 | 296,169 |
| 2022 | 299,591 |
| 2023 | 304,761 |
| 2024 | 308,904 |
| 2025 | 309,732 |
All indicators for Bolton
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 | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.2% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 279 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 21.2% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 15 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 129,940 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 40.6% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 81 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 12.2% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 118,790 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 51 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 86.6% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 135 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 13.3% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 172 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 61.9% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 229 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.0% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 19.8% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 64 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £204,379 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 283 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 5.9% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 41 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 99 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 81.0% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 68 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.8% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 192 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 12,405 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 66 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 40.1 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 235 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 10,880 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 64 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,186 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 313 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.5% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 307 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.3% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 39 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bolton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 24.8% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 83 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Bolton ranks 7 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 21.2% in Bolton, compared with an average of 18.3% in North West and 17.7% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £34,186 in Bolton, compared with an average of £37,482 in North West and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 22.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,577 football pitches.
- 7.8 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Bury, 8.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Manchester (588,256 residents), 21 km away.
Business sectors: Bolton
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 trade22.7% ×1.4
- Construction11.8% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical10.9% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work8.0% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services6.2% ×0.9
- Transport and storage5.6% ×1.3
- Manufacturing5.2% ×1.2
Where is Bolton?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bolton?
Bolton has 309,732 residents (2025), ranking 55 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bolton?
Bolton covers 139.8 km², with a density of 2,216 people per km².
Is the population of Bolton growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bolton went from 284,972 to 309,732, a change of +8.7%.
Where is Bolton?
Bolton is in North West (region). Latitude 53.578, longitude −2.430.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Bolton?
In Bolton, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 21.2% (2025), ranking 15 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Bolton?
In Bolton, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £34,186 (2025), ranking 313 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Bolton?
The nearest to Bolton are Bury (8.9 km), Salford (9.8 km), Blackburn with Darwen (12 km), Wigan (13 km), Chorley (16 km).