Rossendale: population and statistics
Rossendale has a population of 73,688 (2025) across 138.0 km², or 534 people per km². It ranks 340 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 73,688 residents
- 138.0 km²
- 534 people/km²
Rossendale in numbers
Population of Rossendale over time
Rossendale had 69,196 residents in 2015 and 73,688 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 70,811 |
| 2021 | 71,008 |
| 2022 | 71,178 |
| 2023 | 71,800 |
| 2024 | 72,841 |
| 2025 | 73,688 |
All indicators for Rossendale
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 | Rossendale | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.7% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 209 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.5% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 120 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rossendale | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 32,950 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 306 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 50.5% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 34 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 12.1% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 280 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 30,561 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 304 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.5% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.2% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.1% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 139 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.0% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 182 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.8% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £199,759 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 290 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.1% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 128 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rossendale | 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) | 82.7% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 34 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 3.8% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 294 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.8% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 164 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rossendale | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 2,920 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 341 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 39.6 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 243 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 2,620 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 341 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,273 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 273 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Rossendale | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.9% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 207 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.9% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 98 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Rossendale | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 18.3% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 162 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Rossendale ranks 34 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: lower than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by electricity only”: lower than in 93% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,333 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Rochdale, 9.6 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Rochdale (237,641 residents), 10 km away.
Business sectors: Rossendale
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 trade19.5% ×1.2
- Construction14.5% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical12.3% ×0.9
- Manufacturing7.8% ×1.8
- Administrative and support services7.2% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×0.9
- Health and social work6.5% ×1.2
- Other service activities4.3% ×1.0
Where is Rossendale?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rossendale?
Rossendale has 73,688 residents (2025), ranking 340 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Rossendale?
Rossendale covers 138.0 km², with a density of 534 people per km².
Is the population of Rossendale growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rossendale went from 69,196 to 73,688, a change of +6.5%.
Where is Rossendale?
Rossendale is in North West (region). Latitude 53.683, longitude −2.250.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Rossendale?
In Rossendale, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 32,950 dwellings (2026), ranking 306 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Rossendale?
In Rossendale, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 2,920 sites (2026), ranking 341 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Rossendale?
The nearest to Rossendale are Rochdale (9.6 km), Bury (11 km), Burnley (11 km), Hyndburn (13 km), Blackburn with Darwen (13 km).