Southampton: population and statistics
Southampton has a population of 259,230 (2025) across 49.9 km², or 5,197 people per km². It ranks 81 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 259,230 residents
- 49.9 km²
- 5,197 people/km²
Southampton in numbers
Population of Southampton over time
Southampton had 244,666 residents in 2015 and 259,230 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 248,679 |
| 2021 | 247,672 |
| 2022 | 252,949 |
| 2023 | 258,617 |
| 2024 | 260,604 |
| 2025 | 259,230 |
All indicators for Southampton
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 | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.0% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 324 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.6% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 237 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 111,710 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 79 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 37.3% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 101 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.9% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 102,290 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 77 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 58.4% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 297 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 41.5% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 22 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 48.8% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 289 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 29.2% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 29 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 44 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £235,977 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 219 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.4% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 170 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 66.2% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 262 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 21.0% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,035 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 124 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 34.9 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 298 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,285 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 136 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,130 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 221 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 73.3% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 245 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 | Southampton | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 27.4% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 60 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Southampton ranks 5 by population.
Households heated by electricity only: 21.0% in Southampton, compared with an average of 9.2% in South East and 8.6% across the UK.
Households living in a house or bungalow: 58.4% in Southampton, compared with an average of 77.8% in South East and 77.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South East for “Households heated by electricity only”.
- “Households heated by electricity only”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households living in a house or bungalow”: lower than in 93% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,986 football pitches.
- 18.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Eastleigh, 6.9 km away.
Business sectors: Southampton
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 trade19.0% ×1.2
- Construction12.9% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.5% ×0.8
- Transport and storage10.0% ×2.4
- Accommodation and food services9.1% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.7% ×1.2
- Information and communication4.7% ×0.8
Where is Southampton?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Southampton?
Southampton has 259,230 residents (2025), ranking 81 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Southampton?
Southampton covers 49.9 km², with a density of 5,197 people per km².
Is the population of Southampton growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Southampton went from 244,666 to 259,230, a change of +6.0%.
Where is Southampton?
Southampton is in South East (region). Latitude 50.917, longitude −1.383.
Households heated by electricity only: what is the figure for Southampton?
In Southampton, “Households heated by electricity only” stands at 21.0% (2021), ranking 4 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 7.8%.
Households living in a house or bungalow: what is the figure for Southampton?
In Southampton, “Households living in a house or bungalow” stands at 58.4% (2021), ranking 297 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 84.7%.
Which local authorities border Southampton?
The nearest to Southampton are Eastleigh (6.9 km), Fareham (16 km), Winchester (17 km), New Forest (18 km), Gosport (20 km).