Dartford: population and statistics
Dartford has a population of 126,297 (2025) across 72.7 km², or 1,736 people per km². It ranks 234 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +21.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 126,297 residents
- 72.7 km²
- 1,736 people/km²
Dartford in numbers
Population of Dartford over time
Dartford had 104,379 residents in 2015 and 126,297 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 115,572 |
| 2021 | 116,819 |
| 2022 | 119,075 |
| 2023 | 121,765 |
| 2024 | 124,594 |
| 2025 | 126,297 |
All indicators for Dartford
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 | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 13.5% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 329 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 22.5% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 3 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 51,150 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 30.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 29.4% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 15 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 45,694 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 237 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 75.6% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 244 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 24.1% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 74 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.9% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.1% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.8% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 181 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £347,773 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 103 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −2.0% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 321 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 79.7% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.3% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 199 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,930 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 214 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 47.0 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 145 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,015 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 215 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £44,091 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 62 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 80.2% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 73 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 156 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Dartford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 16.9% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 179 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Dartford ranks 40 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 22.5% in Dartford, compared with an average of 18.1% in South East and 17.7% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 29.4% in Dartford, compared with an average of 19.8% in South East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 19.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South East for “Population change over 10 years”.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 10,186 football pitches.
- 6.1 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Bexley, 7.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Bexley (257,103 residents), 8 km away.
Business sectors: Dartford
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction19.6% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade16.8% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical11.5% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×1.0
- Information and communication7.3% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.6% ×0.9
- Transport and storage6.3% ×1.5
- Health and social work5.6% ×1.0
Where is Dartford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dartford?
Dartford has 126,297 residents (2025), ranking 234 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Dartford?
Dartford covers 72.7 km², with a density of 1,736 people per km².
Is the population of Dartford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Dartford went from 104,379 to 126,297, a change of +21.0%.
Where is Dartford?
Dartford is in South East (region). Latitude 51.450, longitude 0.267.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Dartford?
In Dartford, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 22.5% (2025), ranking 3 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Dartford?
In Dartford, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 29.4% (2026), ranking 15 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Dartford?
The nearest to Dartford are Bexley (7.9 km), Gravesham (10 km), Havering (12 km), Thurrock (12 km), Barking and Dagenham (16 km).