Sefton: population and statistics
Sefton has a population of 287,583 (2025) across 156.6 km², or 1,836 people per km². It ranks 65 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 287,583 residents
- 156.6 km²
- 1,836 people/km²
Sefton in numbers
Population of Sefton over time
Sefton had 275,546 residents in 2015 and 287,583 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 278,621 |
| 2021 | 279,693 |
| 2022 | 280,956 |
| 2023 | 283,078 |
| 2024 | 285,298 |
| 2025 | 287,583 |
All indicators for Sefton
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 | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.2% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 89 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.7% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 232 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 132,210 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 52 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 47.4% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 9.6% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 310 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 123,073 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 43 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 80.6% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 200 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 19.3% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.3% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.2% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 137 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.4% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 154 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £224,289 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 245 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.7% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 106 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 83.6% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 20 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.4% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 244 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,445 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 107 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 32.8 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 318 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,870 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 122 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,937 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 229 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.3% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 221 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.8% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 107 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sefton | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.4% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 65 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Sefton ranks 10 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 9.6% in Sefton, compared with an average of 16.5% in North West and 18.6% across the UK.
Households heated by mains gas only: 83.6% in Sefton, compared with an average of 78.6% in North West and 73.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by mains gas only”: higher than in 93% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 21,931 football pitches.
- 6.5 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Wirral, 5.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Liverpool (507,915 residents), 6 km away.
Business sectors: Sefton
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 trade18.3% ×1.1
- Construction13.7% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical12.3% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services8.1% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.8% ×1.4
- Other service activities5.6% ×1.4
- Transport and storage4.4% ×1.1
Where is Sefton?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sefton?
Sefton has 287,583 residents (2025), ranking 65 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Sefton?
Sefton covers 156.6 km², with a density of 1,836 people per km².
Is the population of Sefton growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sefton went from 275,546 to 287,583, a change of +4.4%.
Where is Sefton?
Sefton is in North West (region). Latitude 53.445, longitude −2.998.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Sefton?
In Sefton, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 9.6% (2026), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Households heated by mains gas only: what is the figure for Sefton?
In Sefton, “Households heated by mains gas only” stands at 83.6% (2021), ranking 20 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 76.7%.
Which local authorities border Sefton?
The nearest to Sefton are Wirral (5.4 km), Liverpool (6.2 km), Knowsley (9.8 km), St. Helens (17 km), West Lancashire (17 km).