Cumberland: population and statistics
Cumberland has a population of 282,343 (2025) across 3,035.8 km², or 93.0 people per km². It ranks 69 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 282,343 residents
- 3,035.8 km²
- 93 people/km²
Cumberland in numbers
Population of Cumberland over time
Cumberland had 274,195 residents in 2015 and 282,343 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 272,444 |
| 2021 | 273,788 |
| 2022 | 275,274 |
| 2023 | 277,799 |
| 2024 | 280,014 |
| 2025 | 282,343 |
All indicators for Cumberland
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 | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.5% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 81 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.2% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 258 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 139,050 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 42 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 36.9% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 105 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.0% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 125,424 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 90.5% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 49 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) | 69.1% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 118 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.1% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 16.8% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 103 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £170,966 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 328 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.3% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 118 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 72.1% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.3% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 245 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 6.0% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 80 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 12,930 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 62 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 45.8 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 152 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 10,645 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 66 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £42,461 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 93 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.3% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 202 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 | Cumberland | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 20.3% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 128 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Cumberland ranks 11 by population.
Average house price: £170,966 in Cumberland, compared with an average of £227,208 in North West and £308,859 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Average house price”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 425,185 football pitches.
- 3.1 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Dumfries and Galloway, 42.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is County Durham (539,146 residents), 115 km away.
Business sectors: Cumberland
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing17.8% ×4.0
- Wholesale and retail trade15.0% ×0.9
- Construction11.7% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services9.4% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical8.1% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×0.8
- Health and social work5.1% ×0.9
- Transport and storage5.0% ×1.2
Where is Cumberland?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cumberland?
Cumberland has 282,343 residents (2025), ranking 69 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Cumberland?
Cumberland covers 3,035.8 km², with a density of 93 people per km².
Is the population of Cumberland growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Cumberland went from 274,195 to 282,343, a change of +3.0%.
Where is Cumberland?
Cumberland is in North West (region). Latitude 54.750, longitude −3.250.
Average house price: what is the figure for Cumberland?
In Cumberland, “Average house price” stands at £170,966 (2026), ranking 328 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is £272,474.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Cumberland?
In Cumberland, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 12,930 sites (2026), ranking 62 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Cumberland?
The nearest to Cumberland are Dumfries and Galloway (42 km), Westmorland and Furness (43 km), Scottish Borders (83 km), Lancaster (83 km), Northumberland (92 km).