Preston: population and statistics
Preston has a population of 164,498 (2025) across 142.3 km², or 1,156 people per km². It ranks 151 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +17.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 164,498 residents
- 142.3 km²
- 1,156 people/km²
Preston in numbers
Population of Preston over time
Preston had 140,615 residents in 2015 and 164,498 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 145,912 |
| 2021 | 147,786 |
| 2022 | 152,462 |
| 2023 | 158,206 |
| 2024 | 161,593 |
| 2025 | 164,498 |
All indicators for Preston
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 | Preston | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.5% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 317 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.7% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 49 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Preston | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 71,200 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 146 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 37.8% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 20.7% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 106 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 59,607 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.4% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 180 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 17.5% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 59.1% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 249 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 22.4% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 70 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.4% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 83 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £188,629 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 308 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.3% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 20 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Preston | 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) | 77.3% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.1% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 149 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Preston | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,295 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 166 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 44.3 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 183 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,130 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 170 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,214 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 218 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Preston | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.4% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 197 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.6% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 57 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Preston | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 27.7% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 55 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Preston ranks 20 by population.
House price change over 12 months: 7.3% in Preston, compared with an average of 4.7% in North West and 1.9% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 14.5% in Preston, compared with an average of 19.1% in North West and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 21.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “House price change over 12 months”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,929 football pitches.
- 4.1 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is South Ribble, 6.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wigan (347,089 residents), 26 km away.
Business sectors: Preston
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 trade21.1% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical12.1% ×0.9
- Construction11.4% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.4% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×1.0
- Transport and storage5.2% ×1.2
- Real estate5.2% ×1.2
Where is Preston?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Preston?
Preston has 164,498 residents (2025), ranking 151 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Preston?
Preston covers 142.3 km², with a density of 1,156 people per km².
Is the population of Preston growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Preston went from 140,615 to 164,498, a change of +17.0%.
Where is Preston?
Preston is in North West (region). Latitude 53.759, longitude −2.699.
House price change over 12 months: what is the figure for Preston?
In Preston, “House price change over 12 months” stands at 7.3% (2026), ranking 20 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is 2.2%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Preston?
In Preston, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 14.5% (2025), ranking 317 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Preston?
The nearest to Preston are South Ribble (6.9 km), Chorley (13 km), Fylde (15 km), Wyre (17 km), Blackburn with Darwen (18 km).