Salford: population and statistics
Salford has a population of 297,004 (2025) across 97.2 km², or 3,056 people per km². It ranks 62 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +20.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 297,004 residents
- 97.2 km²
- 3,056 people/km²
- 68 m
Salford in numbers
Population of Salford over time
Salford had 246,942 residents in 2015 and 297,004 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 266,090 |
| 2021 | 270,866 |
| 2022 | 279,964 |
| 2023 | 286,990 |
| 2024 | 293,508 |
| 2025 | 297,004 |
All indicators for Salford
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 | Salford | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 12.6% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 336 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.8% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 99 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Salford | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 138,840 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 43 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.0% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 166 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 31.1% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 6 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 115,117 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 56 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 69.5% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 270 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 30.4% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 47.5% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 293 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 26.8% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 42 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 25.4% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 25 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £229,462 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 230 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.3% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 253 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Salford | 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) | 69.4% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 240 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 18.1% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 7 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Salford | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 12,170 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 70 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 41.0 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 222 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 10,395 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 70 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,958 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 288 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Salford | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 70.8% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 291 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.1% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 41 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Salford | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 33.2% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 30 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Salford ranks 9 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 31.1% in Salford, compared with an average of 16.5% in North West and 18.6% across the UK.
Households heated by electricity only: 18.1% in Salford, compared with an average of 7.4% in North West and 8.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Population change over 10 years”.
- Number 1 in North West for “Dwellings built since 2000”.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by electricity only”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 13,613 football pitches.
- 10.7 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Salford
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 trade18.4% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical12.3% ×0.9
- Construction11.4% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.2% ×1.1
- Real estate7.9% ×1.8
- Health and social work6.6% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.3% ×0.9
- Information and communication5.7% ×0.9
Where is Salford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Salford?
Salford has 297,004 residents (2025), ranking 62 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Salford?
Salford covers 97.2 km², with a density of 3,056 people per km².
Is the population of Salford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Salford went from 246,942 to 297,004, a change of +20.3%.
Where is Salford?
Salford is in North West (region). Latitude 53.510, longitude −2.334.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Salford?
In Salford, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 31.1% (2026), ranking 6 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Households heated by electricity only: what is the figure for Salford?
In Salford, “Households heated by electricity only” stands at 18.1% (2021), ranking 7 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 7.8%.
Which local authorities border Salford?
The nearest to Salford are Trafford (8.8 km), Bury (9.5 km), Bolton (9.8 km), Manchester (12 km), Oldham (15 km).