Burnley: population and statistics
Burnley has a population of 100,946 (2025) across 110.7 km², or 912 people per km². It ranks 296 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +13.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 100,946 residents
- 110.7 km²
- 912 people/km²
Burnley in numbers
Population of Burnley over time
Burnley had 89,230 residents in 2015 and 100,946 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 93,927 |
| 2021 | 94,734 |
| 2022 | 95,850 |
| 2023 | 97,302 |
| 2024 | 99,195 |
| 2025 | 100,946 |
All indicators for Burnley
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 | Burnley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 18.1% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 252 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 20.1% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 37 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Burnley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 43,290 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 274 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 55.0% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 19 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 10.8% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 298 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 39,871 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 90.7% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 43 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 9.1% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 265 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 60.0% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 245 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 24.3% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 57 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 15.6% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 123 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £135,012 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 357 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 8.6% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 10 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Burnley | 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) | 81.8% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 52 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.4% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.4% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 190 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Burnley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,305 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 336 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 32.7 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 321 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 2,750 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 335 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £33,208 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 328 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Burnley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 70.0% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 302 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.6% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 29 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Burnley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 29.3% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 46 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Burnley ranks 30 by population.
Average house price: £135,012 in Burnley, compared with an average of £227,208 in North West and £308,859 across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £33,208 in Burnley, compared with an average of £37,482 in North West and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 22.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Average house price”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,501 football pitches.
- 3.2 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Hyndburn, 8.8 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Blackburn with Darwen (163,801 residents), 17 km away.
Business sectors: Burnley
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 trade22.3% ×1.4
- Construction12.5% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical9.1% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services8.4% ×1.2
- Health and social work7.4% ×1.3
- Manufacturing7.1% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.6% ×1.1
Where is Burnley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Burnley?
Burnley has 100,946 residents (2025), ranking 296 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Burnley?
Burnley covers 110.7 km², with a density of 912 people per km².
Is the population of Burnley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Burnley went from 89,230 to 100,946, a change of +13.1%.
Where is Burnley?
Burnley is in North West (region). Latitude 53.783, longitude −2.250.
Average house price: what is the figure for Burnley?
In Burnley, “Average house price” stands at £135,012 (2026), ranking 357 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is £272,474.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Burnley?
In Burnley, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £33,208 (2025), ranking 328 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Burnley?
The nearest to Burnley are Hyndburn (8.8 km), Pendle (11 km), Rossendale (11 km), Ribble Valley (15 km), Blackburn with Darwen (17 km).