Isle of Wight: population and statistics
Isle of Wight has a population of 140,777 (2025) across 379.6 km², or 371 people per km². It ranks 201 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 140,777 residents
- 379.6 km²
- 371 people/km²
Isle of Wight in numbers
Population of Isle of Wight over time
Isle of Wight had 139,316 residents in 2015 and 140,777 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 140,915 |
| 2021 | 140,885 |
| 2022 | 140,682 |
| 2023 | 141,169 |
| 2024 | 141,356 |
| 2025 | 140,777 |
All indicators for Isle of Wight
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 | Isle of Wight | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 31.0% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 6 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.1% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 344 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Isle of Wight | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 73,250 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 135 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 39.9% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 87 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.0% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 64,775 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 78.7% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 218 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 20.6% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 100 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.4% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 134 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 20.7% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 87 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 270 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £245,900 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 206 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.9% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 290 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Isle of Wight | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 24 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 71.0% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 231 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.7% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 62 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.6% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 122 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Isle of Wight | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,680 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 223 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 40.3 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 232 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,720 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 230 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £31,184 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 345 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Isle of Wight | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 73.6% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 238 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.6% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 120 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Isle of Wight | 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, Isle of Wight ranks 31 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 31.0% in Isle of Wight, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £31,184 in Isle of Wight, compared with an average of £41,780 in South East and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 53,165 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Gosport, 15.3 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Portsmouth (211,475 residents), 20 km away.
Business sectors: Isle of Wight
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 trade15.9% ×1.0
- Construction12.4% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services12.3% ×1.7
- Professional, scientific and technical10.1% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.4% ×1.5
- Health and social work6.0% ×1.1
- Other service activities4.5% ×1.1
Where is Isle of Wight?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Isle of Wight?
Isle of Wight has 140,777 residents (2025), ranking 201 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Isle of Wight?
Isle of Wight covers 379.6 km², with a density of 371 people per km².
Is the population of Isle of Wight growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Isle of Wight went from 139,316 to 140,777, a change of +1.0%.
Where is Isle of Wight?
Isle of Wight is in South East (region). Latitude 50.700, longitude −1.300.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Isle of Wight?
In Isle of Wight, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 31.0% (2025), ranking 6 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Isle of Wight?
In Isle of Wight, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £31,184 (2025), ranking 345 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Isle of Wight?
The nearest to Isle of Wight are Gosport (15 km), Fareham (19 km), Portsmouth (20 km), Southampton (25 km), Eastleigh (28 km).