Ribble Valley: population and statistics
Ribble Valley has a population of 66,938 (2025) across 584.5 km², or 114 people per km². It ranks 349 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +14.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 66,938 residents
- 584.5 km²
- 114 people/km²
Ribble Valley in numbers
Population of Ribble Valley over time
Ribble Valley had 58,275 residents in 2015 and 66,938 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 60,780 |
| 2021 | 61,865 |
| 2022 | 63,178 |
| 2023 | 64,678 |
| 2024 | 65,761 |
| 2025 | 66,938 |
All indicators for Ribble Valley
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 | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.4% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 68 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.8% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 282 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 30,180 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 309 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 38.2% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 95 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.7% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 26,747 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 311 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 91.4% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 34 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 7.6% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 292 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 77.0% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 12 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.0% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 245 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 8.0% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 314 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £285,610 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 164 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.9% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 97 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 71.9% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 223 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.0% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 292 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 7.1% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 69 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,970 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 316 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 59.3 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 41 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,685 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 294 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £40,870 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 122 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.3% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 128 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.8% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 349 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ribble Valley | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.4% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 292 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Ribble Valley ranks 35 by population.
Households in social housing: 8.0% in Ribble Valley, compared with an average of 17.8% in North West and 17.1% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.8% in Ribble Valley, compared with an average of 4.1% in North West and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”.
- Number 1 in North West for “Business sites per 1,000 residents”.
- “Households in social housing”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without a car or van”: lower than in 93% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 81,859 football pitches.
- 2.5 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: Ribble Valley
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 trade15.6% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.6% ×3.1
- Construction11.8% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical11.7% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services7.1% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.2% ×1.2
- Real estate4.8% ×1.1
Where is Ribble Valley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ribble Valley?
Ribble Valley has 66,938 residents (2025), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Ribble Valley?
Ribble Valley covers 584.5 km², with a density of 114 people per km².
Is the population of Ribble Valley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Ribble Valley went from 58,275 to 66,938, a change of +14.9%.
Where is Ribble Valley?
Ribble Valley is in North West (region). Latitude 53.883, longitude −2.400.
Households in social housing: what is the figure for Ribble Valley?
In Ribble Valley, “Households in social housing” stands at 8.0% (2021), ranking 314 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.3%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Ribble Valley?
In Ribble Valley, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.8% (2026), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Ribble Valley?
The nearest to Ribble Valley are Hyndburn (13 km), Burnley (15 km), Pendle (15 km), Blackburn with Darwen (22 km), Preston (24 km).