South Ribble: population and statistics
South Ribble has a population of 117,554 (2025) across 113.2 km², or 1,039 people per km². It ranks 254 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 117,554 residents
- 113.2 km²
- 1,039 people/km²
South Ribble in numbers
Population of South Ribble over time
South Ribble had 109,873 residents in 2015 and 117,554 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 110,613 |
| 2021 | 111,203 |
| 2022 | 112,213 |
| 2023 | 113,721 |
| 2024 | 115,727 |
| 2025 | 117,554 |
All indicators for South Ribble
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 | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.2% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 133 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.9% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 218 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 52,940 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 226 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 25.1% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.7% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 48,585 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 224 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 91.1% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 36 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 8.5% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 280 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 76.8% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 14 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 12.8% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 304 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.4% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 282 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £213,267 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 264 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.7% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 153 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 84.0% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 15 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.1% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 290 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.8% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 164 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,635 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 280 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 39.4 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 249 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,035 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 274 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,883 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 196 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.1% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 134 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.5% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 260 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | South Ribble | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.3% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 233 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, South Ribble ranks 29 by population.
Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership): 76.8% in South Ribble, compared with an average of 62.7% in North West and 62.3% across the UK.
Households heated by mains gas only: 84.0% in South Ribble, compared with an average of 78.6% in North West and 73.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by mains gas only”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,852 football pitches.
- 3.7 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Chorley, 6.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wigan (347,089 residents), 19 km away.
Business sectors: South Ribble
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 trade17.6% ×1.1
- Construction15.6% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical11.2% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.8% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services6.0% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.3
- Transport and storage4.7% ×1.1
Where is South Ribble?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Ribble?
South Ribble has 117,554 residents (2025), ranking 254 of 361 local authorities.
How big is South Ribble?
South Ribble covers 113.2 km², with a density of 1,039 people per km².
Is the population of South Ribble growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of South Ribble went from 109,873 to 117,554, a change of +7.0%.
Where is South Ribble?
South Ribble is in North West (region). Latitude 53.697, longitude −2.690.
Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership): what is the figure for South Ribble?
In South Ribble, “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)” stands at 76.8% (2021), ranking 14 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67.3%.
Households heated by mains gas only: what is the figure for South Ribble?
In South Ribble, “Households heated by mains gas only” stands at 84.0% (2021), ranking 15 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 76.7%.
Which local authorities border South Ribble?
The nearest to South Ribble are Chorley (6.2 km), Preston (6.9 km), Blackburn with Darwen (16 km), West Lancashire (18 km), Fylde (18 km).