Canterbury: population and statistics
Canterbury has a population of 162,612 (2025) across 308.7 km², or 527 people per km². It ranks 155 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 162,612 residents
- 308.7 km²
- 527 people/km²
Canterbury in numbers
Population of Canterbury over time
Canterbury had 156,143 residents in 2015 and 162,612 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 157,187 |
| 2021 | 156,631 |
| 2022 | 159,081 |
| 2023 | 161,601 |
| 2024 | 162,372 |
| 2025 | 162,612 |
All indicators for Canterbury
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 | Canterbury | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.8% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 116 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.8% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 282 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Canterbury | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 72,830 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 138 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.3% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 164 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 21.3% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 63,792 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 79.8% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 19.1% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 65.7% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 185 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 22.0% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.2% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 239 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £337,454 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 111 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.9% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 139 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Canterbury | 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) | 76.5% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 161 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.9% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 135 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Canterbury | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,865 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 180 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.2 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 207 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,835 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 178 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,682 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 203 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Canterbury | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.4% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 308 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 169 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Canterbury | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 20.8% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 120 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Canterbury ranks 19 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 69.4% in Canterbury, compared with an average of 79.1% in South East and 75.6% across the UK.
Share of residents aged under 16: 15.8% in Canterbury, compared with an average of 18.1% in South East and 17.7% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
Business sectors: Canterbury
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 trade16.6% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical14.7% ×1.1
- Construction13.3% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services9.3% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.1% ×1.3
- Information and communication5.7% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.7% ×1.2
Where is Canterbury?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Canterbury?
Canterbury has 162,612 residents (2025), ranking 155 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Canterbury?
Canterbury covers 308.7 km², with a density of 527 people per km².
Is the population of Canterbury growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Canterbury went from 156,143 to 162,612, a change of +4.1%.
Where is Canterbury?
Canterbury is in South East (region). Latitude 51.280, longitude 1.080.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Canterbury?
In Canterbury, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 69.4% (2025-2026), ranking 308 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Canterbury?
In Canterbury, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 15.8% (2025), ranking 282 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Which local authorities border Canterbury?
The nearest to Canterbury are Ashford (21 km), Dover (23 km), Folkestone and Hythe (23 km), Swale (25 km), Thanet (26 km).