Chorley: population and statistics
Chorley has a population of 121,814 (2025) across 202.8 km², or 601 people per km². It ranks 241 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 121,814 residents
- 202.8 km²
- 601 people/km²
Chorley in numbers
Population of Chorley over time
Chorley had 112,418 residents in 2015 and 121,814 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 117,178 |
| 2021 | 117,908 |
| 2022 | 118,591 |
| 2023 | 119,656 |
| 2024 | 120,579 |
| 2025 | 121,814 |
All indicators for Chorley
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 | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.3% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 159 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.3% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 188 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 53,490 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 28.1% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.2% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 82 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 50,135 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 217 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 90.3% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 54 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 9.3% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 260 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.8% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 13.9% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 280 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.2% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 205 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £213,246 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 265 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.8% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 146 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 81.3% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.5% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 272 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 149 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,125 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 250 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.1 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 208 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,585 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 239 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,350 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 154 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 80.4% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 68 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.5% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 260 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Chorley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.6% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 221 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Chorley ranks 27 by population.
Households renting privately: 13.9% in Chorley, compared with an average of 19.4% in North West and 20.4% across the UK.
Households heated by electricity only: 4.5% in Chorley, compared with an average of 7.4% in North West and 8.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 28,398 football pitches.
- 2.1 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is South Ribble, 6.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wigan (347,089 residents), 13 km away.
Business sectors: Chorley
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 trade17.1% ×1.1
- Construction14.4% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical13.1% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.3% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.6% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.3% ×1.2
- Information and communication4.7% ×0.8
Where is Chorley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Chorley?
Chorley has 121,814 residents (2025), ranking 241 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Chorley?
Chorley covers 202.8 km², with a density of 601 people per km².
Is the population of Chorley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Chorley went from 112,418 to 121,814, a change of +8.4%.
Where is Chorley?
Chorley is in North West (region). Latitude 53.653, longitude −2.632.
Households renting privately: what is the figure for Chorley?
In Chorley, “Households renting privately” stands at 13.9% (2021), ranking 280 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 17.6%.
Households heated by electricity only: what is the figure for Chorley?
In Chorley, “Households heated by electricity only” stands at 4.5% (2021), ranking 272 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 7.8%.
Which local authorities border Chorley?
The nearest to Chorley are South Ribble (6.2 km), Blackburn with Darwen (12 km), Preston (13 km), Wigan (13 km), Bolton (16 km).