Ashford: population and statistics
Ashford has a population of 142,523 (2025) across 580.6 km², or 246 people per km². It ranks 197 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +14.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 142,523 residents
- 580.6 km²
- 246 people/km²
Ashford in numbers
Population of Ashford over time
Ashford had 124,580 residents in 2015 and 142,523 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 131,431 |
| 2021 | 133,221 |
| 2022 | 135,671 |
| 2023 | 138,692 |
| 2024 | 140,812 |
| 2025 | 142,523 |
All indicators for Ashford
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 | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.9% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 204 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.2% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 77 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 59,760 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 193 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 23.1% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 245 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 28.0% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 19 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 53,583 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 195 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 85.6% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 13.1% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.1% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 139 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.7% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 153 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.0% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 171 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £347,562 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 104 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.4% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 213 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 66.8% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 258 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.3% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 172 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 9.3% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 55 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,540 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 161 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 52.9 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 78 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,630 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 157 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,440 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 210 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.7% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 215 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 206 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ashford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.4% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 230 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Ashford ranks 29 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 28.0% in Ashford, compared with an average of 19.8% in South East and 18.6% across the UK.
Households heated by oil only: 9.3% in Ashford, compared with an average of 3.2% in South East and 3.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 14.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 81,322 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Canterbury, 21.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Medway (292,697 residents), 37 km away.
Business sectors: Ashford
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction14.9% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.8% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical13.6% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.6% ×1.3
- Health and social work5.4% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×0.8
- Information and communication5.2% ×0.9
Where is Ashford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ashford?
Ashford has 142,523 residents (2025), ranking 197 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Ashford?
Ashford covers 580.6 km², with a density of 246 people per km².
Is the population of Ashford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Ashford went from 124,580 to 142,523, a change of +14.4%.
Where is Ashford?
Ashford is in South East (region). Latitude 51.147, longitude 0.868.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Ashford?
In Ashford, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 28.0% (2026), ranking 19 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Ashford?
In Ashford, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 9.3% (2021), ranking 55 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Which local authorities border Ashford?
The nearest to Ashford are Canterbury (21 km), Folkestone and Hythe (23 km), Swale (24 km), Maidstone (28 km), Dover (31 km).