Medway: population and statistics
Medway has a population of 292,697 (2025) across 193.7 km², or 1,511 people per km². It ranks 64 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 292,697 residents
- 193.7 km²
- 1,511 people/km²
Medway in numbers
Population of Medway over time
Medway had 276,037 residents in 2015 and 292,697 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 280,364 |
| 2021 | 279,903 |
| 2022 | 282,849 |
| 2023 | 287,701 |
| 2024 | 291,691 |
| 2025 | 292,697 |
All indicators for Medway
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 | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.8% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 285 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 20.5% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 27 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 122,600 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 32.7% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.1% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 197 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 111,457 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 62 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.9% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 174 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 16.5% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 143 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 66.2% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 179 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 20.2% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 96 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.6% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 185 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £298,547 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 154 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.1% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 225 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.5% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 80 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.7% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 198 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.5% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 177 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 10,850 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 84 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 37.1 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 271 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 9,345 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 82 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,622 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 150 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.0% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 57 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 82 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Medway | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 19.2% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 149 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Medway ranks 3 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 20.5% in Medway, compared with an average of 18.1% in South East and 17.7% across the UK.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 81.0% in Medway, compared with an average of 79.1% in South East and 75.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 22.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 27,132 football pitches.
- 5.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Gravesham, 11.7 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 102 km away.
Business sectors: Medway
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction22.0% ×1.8
- Wholesale and retail trade15.4% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.7% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.2% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.9% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.3% ×1.1
- Transport and storage5.8% ×1.4
- Information and communication4.8% ×0.8
Where is Medway?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Medway?
Medway has 292,697 residents (2025), ranking 64 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Medway?
Medway covers 193.7 km², with a density of 1,511 people per km².
Is the population of Medway growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Medway went from 276,037 to 292,697, a change of +6.0%.
Where is Medway?
Medway is in South East (region). Latitude 51.417, longitude 0.567.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Medway?
In Medway, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 20.5% (2025), ranking 27 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Medway?
In Medway, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 81.0% (2025-2026), ranking 57 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Which local authorities border Medway?
The nearest to Medway are Gravesham (12 km), Castle Point (13 km), Thurrock (14 km), Swale (14 km), Maidstone (16 km).