Cheshire West and Chester: population and statistics
Cheshire West and Chester has a population of 373,951 (2025) across 920.0 km², or 406 people per km². It ranks 29 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +10.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 373,951 residents
- 920.0 km²
- 406 people/km²
- 227 m
Cheshire West and Chester in numbers
Population of Cheshire West and Chester over time
Cheshire West and Chester had 339,181 residents in 2015 and 373,951 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 354,738 |
| 2021 | 357,730 |
| 2022 | 361,841 |
| 2023 | 366,508 |
| 2024 | 370,951 |
| 2025 | 373,951 |
All indicators for Cheshire West and Chester
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 | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.0% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 136 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.6% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 237 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 167,870 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 22 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 27.1% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 206 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.1% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 136 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 155,154 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 19 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.4% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 115 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.9% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 69.5% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 107 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.7% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.6% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £270,104 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 184 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 5.8% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 44 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 78.0% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 135 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.6% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 105 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 16,450 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 39 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 44.0 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 188 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 13,845 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 44 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £41,486 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 109 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.0% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 57 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.6% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 238 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Cheshire West and Chester | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 16.7% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 186 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Cheshire West and Chester ranks 4 by population.
Households (Census 2021): 155,154 households in Cheshire West and Chester, compared with an average of 116,581 households in North West and 111,842 households across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Employment rate, aged 16-64”.
- “Households (Census 2021)”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 128,853 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Flintshire, 16.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Manchester (588,256 residents), 49 km away.
Business sectors: Cheshire West and Chester
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Professional, scientific and technical17.2% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade15.7% ×1.0
- Construction9.8% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.7% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services7.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.0% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.6% ×1.3
- Information and communication4.7% ×0.8
Where is Cheshire West and Chester?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cheshire West and Chester?
Cheshire West and Chester has 373,951 residents (2025), ranking 29 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Cheshire West and Chester?
Cheshire West and Chester covers 920.0 km², with a density of 406 people per km².
Is the population of Cheshire West and Chester growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Cheshire West and Chester went from 339,181 to 373,951, a change of +10.3%.
Where is Cheshire West and Chester?
Cheshire West and Chester is in North West (region). Latitude 53.213, longitude −2.902.
Households (Census 2021): what is the figure for Cheshire West and Chester?
In Cheshire West and Chester, “Households (Census 2021)” stands at 155,154 households (2021), ranking 19 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 61,440 households.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Cheshire West and Chester?
In Cheshire West and Chester, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 16,450 sites (2026), ranking 39 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Cheshire West and Chester?
The nearest to Cheshire West and Chester are Flintshire (16 km), Halton (18 km), Wrexham (19 km), Wirral (22 km), Liverpool (23 km).