St. Helens: population and statistics
St. Helens has a population of 189,890 (2025) across 136.4 km², or 1,393 people per km². It ranks 127 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 189,890 residents
- 136.4 km²
- 1,393 people/km²
St. Helens in numbers
Population of St. Helens over time
St. Helens had 178,296 residents in 2015 and 189,890 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 182,102 |
| 2021 | 183,394 |
| 2022 | 184,858 |
| 2023 | 186,659 |
| 2024 | 188,397 |
| 2025 | 189,890 |
All indicators for St. Helens
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 | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.7% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 176 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.3% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 188 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 86,510 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 106 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 33.7% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 135 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 14.8% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 232 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 81,013 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 104 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) | 8.8% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 274 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 65.0% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 196 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.1% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 243 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 19.7% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 65 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £185,154 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 314 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.3% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 20 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 84.9% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 6 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 3.7% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 297 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,695 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 222 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 30.0 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 341 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,755 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 228 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,306 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 213 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.7% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 188 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.7% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 115 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | St. Helens | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 23.2% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 95 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, St. Helens ranks 19 by population.
Households heated by mains gas only: 84.9% in St. Helens, compared with an average of 78.6% in North West and 73.9% across the UK.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: 30.0 per 1,000 in St. Helens, compared with an average of 41.1 per 1,000 in North West and 46.5 per 1,000 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Households heated by mains gas only”.
- “Households heated by mains gas only”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- “House price change over 12 months”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 19,098 football pitches.
- 4.9 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Knowsley, 7.2 km away.
Business sectors: St. Helens
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 trade19.9% ×1.2
- Construction14.5% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical10.6% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.3% ×1.3
- Transport and storage7.0% ×1.7
- Accommodation and food services6.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.3
Where is St. Helens?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of St. Helens?
St. Helens has 189,890 residents (2025), ranking 127 of 361 local authorities.
How big is St. Helens?
St. Helens covers 136.4 km², with a density of 1,393 people per km².
Is the population of St. Helens growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of St. Helens went from 178,296 to 189,890, a change of +6.5%.
Where is St. Helens?
St. Helens is in North West (region). Latitude 53.454, longitude −2.746.
Households heated by mains gas only: what is the figure for St. Helens?
In St. Helens, “Households heated by mains gas only” stands at 84.9% (2021), ranking 6 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 76.7%.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: what is the figure for St. Helens?
In St. Helens, “Business sites per 1,000 residents” stands at 30.0 per 1,000 (2026), ranking 341 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 44.4 per 1,000.
Which local authorities border St. Helens?
The nearest to St. Helens are Knowsley (7.2 km), Liverpool (12 km), Halton (12 km), Wigan (12 km), Warrington (12 km).