Westmorland and Furness: population and statistics
Westmorland and Furness has a population of 231,307 (2025) across 3,789.7 km², or 61.0 people per km². It ranks 95 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 231,307 residents
- 3,789.7 km²
- 61 people/km²
Westmorland and Furness in numbers
Population of Westmorland and Furness over time
Westmorland and Furness had 224,523 residents in 2015 and 231,307 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 225,995 |
| 2021 | 226,941 |
| 2022 | 227,590 |
| 2023 | 228,504 |
| 2024 | 229,821 |
| 2025 | 231,307 |
All indicators for Westmorland and Furness
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 | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.1% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 38 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.5% | 18.3% | 17.4% | ranked 337 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 118,020 dwellings | 3,492,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 68 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 44.5% | 39.3% | 31.6% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.7% | 16.5% | 18.1% | ranked 254 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 103,529 households | 116,581 | 61,440 | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.7% | 83.7% | 84.7% | ranked 107 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.7% | 16.0% | 14.8% | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.1% | 62.7% | 67.3% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.1% | 19.4% | 17.6% | ranked 177 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.7% | 17.8% | 14.3% | ranked 278 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £230,449 | £227,208 | £272,474 | ranked 229 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.7% | 4.7% | 2.2% | ranked 18 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.2% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 64.2% | 78.6% | 76.7% | ranked 272 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.4% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 9.6% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 53 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 13,355 sites | 319,350 | 3,232,440 | ranked 61 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 57.7 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 49 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 11,500 businesses | 272,085 | 2,786,975 | ranked 59 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £41,859 | £37,482 | £38,490 | ranked 103 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 80.4% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 68 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.8% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 349 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Westmorland and Furness | North West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 17.6% | 24.9% | 18.5% | ranked 170 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 35 local authorities in North West, Westmorland and Furness ranks 16 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.8% in Westmorland and Furness, compared with an average of 4.1% in North West and 3.8% across the UK.
House price change over 12 months: 7.7% in Westmorland and Furness, compared with an average of 4.7% in North West and 1.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 18.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North West for “Households heated by oil only”.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “House price change over 12 months”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 530,765 football pitches.
- 4.7 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Cumberland, 42.5 km away.
Business sectors: Westmorland and Furness
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing18.3% ×4.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.6% ×0.9
- Construction11.9% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services10.1% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical9.4% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services6.6% ×0.8
- Manufacturing4.5% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.8
Where is Westmorland and Furness?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Westmorland and Furness?
Westmorland and Furness has 231,307 residents (2025), ranking 95 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Westmorland and Furness?
Westmorland and Furness covers 3,789.7 km², with a density of 61 people per km².
Is the population of Westmorland and Furness growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Westmorland and Furness went from 224,523 to 231,307, a change of +3.0%.
Where is Westmorland and Furness?
Westmorland and Furness is in North West (region). Latitude 54.500, longitude −2.750.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Westmorland and Furness?
In Westmorland and Furness, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.8% (2026), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
House price change over 12 months: what is the figure for Westmorland and Furness?
In Westmorland and Furness, “House price change over 12 months” stands at 7.7% (2026), ranking 18 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is 2.2%.
Which local authorities border Westmorland and Furness?
The nearest to Westmorland and Furness are Cumberland (43 km), Lancaster (50 km), Wyre (67 km), Ribble Valley (72 km), Blackpool (76 km).