Bracknell Forest: population and statistics
Bracknell Forest has a population of 132,145 (2025) across 109.4 km², or 1,208 people per km². It ranks 221 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +11.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 132,145 residents
- 109.4 km²
- 1,208 people/km²
Bracknell Forest in numbers
Population of Bracknell Forest over time
Bracknell Forest had 119,078 residents in 2015 and 132,145 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 123,188 |
| 2021 | 125,195 |
| 2022 | 127,130 |
| 2023 | 128,972 |
| 2024 | 130,502 |
| 2025 | 132,145 |
All indicators for Bracknell Forest
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 | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.3% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 293 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.3% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 72 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 55,110 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 217 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 6.1% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 314 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.8% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 50,245 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 216 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 77.5% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 229 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 20.9% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 99 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.5% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 129 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.7% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 15.7% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 122 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £395,413 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 79 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −1.4% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 306 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 78.3% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 130 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.5% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 177 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,430 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 236 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 41.1 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,660 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 233 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £43,206 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 84 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.4% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 54 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.8% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 216 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bracknell Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.5% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 287 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Bracknell Forest ranks 36 by population.
Dwellings built before 1940: 6.1% in Bracknell Forest, compared with an average of 28.0% in South East and 34.9% across the UK.
Households without a car or van: 11.5% in Bracknell Forest, compared with an average of 16.8% in South East and 23.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without a car or van”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,318 football pitches.
- 4.2 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Wokingham, 5.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Hillingdon (326,671 residents), 24 km away.
Business sectors: Bracknell Forest
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction16.4% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical15.3% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.6% ×0.9
- Information and communication11.0% ×1.8
- Administrative and support services10.5% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services5.3% ×0.7
- Health and social work4.6% ×0.8
- Other service activities4.1% ×1.0
Where is Bracknell Forest?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bracknell Forest?
Bracknell Forest has 132,145 residents (2025), ranking 221 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bracknell Forest?
Bracknell Forest covers 109.4 km², with a density of 1,208 people per km².
Is the population of Bracknell Forest growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bracknell Forest went from 119,078 to 132,145, a change of +11.0%.
Where is Bracknell Forest?
Bracknell Forest is in South East (region). Latitude 51.410, longitude −0.750.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Bracknell Forest?
In Bracknell Forest, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 6.1% (2026), ranking 314 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Households without a car or van: what is the figure for Bracknell Forest?
In Bracknell Forest, “Households without a car or van” stands at 11.5% (2021), ranking 287 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.5%.
Which local authorities border Bracknell Forest?
The nearest to Bracknell Forest are Wokingham (5.9 km), Surrey Heath (7.9 km), Windsor and Maidenhead (8.5 km), Runnymede (15 km), Rushmoor (15 km).