Guildford: population and statistics
Guildford has a population of 152,148 (2025) across 270.9 km², or 562 people per km². It ranks 175 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 152,148 residents
- 270.9 km²
- 562 people/km²
Guildford in numbers
Population of Guildford over time
Guildford had 141,577 residents in 2015 and 152,148 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 142,732 |
| 2021 | 144,013 |
| 2022 | 146,389 |
| 2023 | 149,576 |
| 2024 | 151,682 |
| 2025 | 152,148 |
All indicators for Guildford
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 | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.5% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 241 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 63,230 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 178 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 32.8% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 145 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.0% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 161 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 55,760 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 185 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 79.7% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 206 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 19.5% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 116 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.6% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 152 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 19.6% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 107 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.7% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 224 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £532,917 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 27 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −2.2% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 322 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.9% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 149 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.8% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 156 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.0% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 134 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,545 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 136 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 56.2 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 59 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,345 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 135 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £46,801 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 33 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 82.5% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 38 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.0% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 331 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Guildford | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.8% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 240 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Guildford ranks 25 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 2.0% in Guildford, compared with an average of 3.1% in South East and 3.8% across the UK.
Average house price: £532,917 in Guildford, compared with an average of £392,981 in South East and £308,859 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 20.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Average house price”: higher than in 93% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 37,947 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Woking, 7.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Hounslow (299,486 residents), 28 km away.
Business sectors: Guildford
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Professional, scientific and technical20.7% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade13.5% ×0.8
- Construction12.3% ×1.0
- Information and communication9.4% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services9.2% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×0.8
- Health and social work4.9% ×0.9
- Real estate4.5% ×1.0
Where is Guildford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Guildford?
Guildford has 152,148 residents (2025), ranking 175 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Guildford?
Guildford covers 270.9 km², with a density of 562 people per km².
Is the population of Guildford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Guildford went from 141,577 to 152,148, a change of +7.5%.
Where is Guildford?
Guildford is in South East (region). Latitude 51.246, longitude −0.552.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Guildford?
In Guildford, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 2.0% (2026), ranking 331 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Average house price: what is the figure for Guildford?
In Guildford, “Average house price” stands at £532,917 (2026), ranking 27 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is £272,474.
Which local authorities border Guildford?
The nearest to Guildford are Woking (7.9 km), Waverley (8.2 km), Mole Valley (8.8 km), Rushmoor (16 km), Runnymede (17 km).