Portsmouth: population and statistics
Portsmouth has a population of 211,475 (2025) across 40.4 km², or 5,236 people per km². It ranks 108 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 211,475 residents
- 40.4 km²
- 5,236 people/km²
Portsmouth in numbers
Population of Portsmouth over time
Portsmouth had 207,873 residents in 2015 and 211,475 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 209,142 |
| 2021 | 207,119 |
| 2022 | 209,614 |
| 2023 | 213,939 |
| 2024 | 212,936 |
| 2025 | 211,475 |
All indicators for Portsmouth
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 | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 15.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 307 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.4% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 177 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 94,210 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 56.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 16 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 11.3% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 293 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 86,155 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 95 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 64.4% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 284 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 35.5% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 35 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 53.2% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 282 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 28.6% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 33 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.0% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £251,220 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 204 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.3% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 216 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.4% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.8% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.5% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.0% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 310 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,720 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 155 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 36.5 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 278 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,095 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 171 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,022 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 254 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 77.8% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 143 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.5% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 64 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Portsmouth | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 30.3% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 43 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Portsmouth ranks 6 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.0% in Portsmouth, compared with an average of 3.2% in South East and 3.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 56.2% in Portsmouth, compared with an average of 28.0% in South East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South East for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in South East for “Dwellings built before 1940”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,657 football pitches.
- 18.4 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Gosport, 6.7 km away.
Business sectors: Portsmouth
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction17.2% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade17.0% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services10.6% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical10.4% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.4% ×1.1
- Information and communication5.0% ×0.8
- Other service activities4.8% ×1.2
Where is Portsmouth?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Portsmouth?
Portsmouth has 211,475 residents (2025), ranking 108 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Portsmouth?
Portsmouth covers 40.4 km², with a density of 5,236 people per km².
Is the population of Portsmouth growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Portsmouth went from 207,873 to 211,475, a change of +1.7%.
Where is Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is in South East (region). Latitude 50.800, longitude −1.067.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Portsmouth?
In Portsmouth, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.0% (2021), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Portsmouth?
In Portsmouth, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 56.2% (2026), ranking 16 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border Portsmouth?
The nearest to Portsmouth are Gosport (6.7 km), Havant (8.2 km), Fareham (9.7 km), Isle of Wight (20 km), Chichester (21 km).