Waverley: population and statistics
Waverley has a population of 137,218 (2025) across 345.2 km², or 398 people per km². It ranks 215 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +10.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 137,218 residents
- 345.2 km²
- 398 people/km²
Waverley in numbers
Population of Waverley over time
Waverley had 124,436 residents in 2015 and 137,218 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 126,260 |
| 2021 | 128,880 |
| 2022 | 130,464 |
| 2023 | 133,183 |
| 2024 | 134,737 |
| 2025 | 137,218 |
All indicators for Waverley
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 | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.3% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 129 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.4% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 125 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 58,010 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 35.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 124 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.1% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 178 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 52,448 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 203 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.1% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 184 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 17.5% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 73.0% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.7% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 256 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £553,429 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 22 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −2.6% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 328 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.7% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 296 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.6% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.8% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 192 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 3.2% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 114 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,425 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 139 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 61.4 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 30 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,660 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 129 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £49,769 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 16 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.6% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 191 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 | Waverley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.2% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 300 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Waverley ranks 33 by population.
Households without central heating: 0.7% in Waverley, compared with an average of 1.3% in South East and 1.5% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £49,769 in Waverley, compared with an average of £41,780 in South East and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 22.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 48,347 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Guildford, 8.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Sutton (213,972 residents), 35 km away.
Business sectors: Waverley
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 technical22.2% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade12.1% ×0.8
- Construction10.7% ×0.9
- Information and communication9.6% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services9.3% ×1.2
- Real estate5.5% ×1.2
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.8
- Other service activities4.2% ×1.0
Where is Waverley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Waverley?
Waverley has 137,218 residents (2025), ranking 215 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Waverley?
Waverley covers 345.2 km², with a density of 398 people per km².
Is the population of Waverley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Waverley went from 124,436 to 137,218, a change of +10.3%.
Where is Waverley?
Waverley is in South East (region). Latitude 51.184, longitude −0.618.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Waverley?
In Waverley, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.7% (2021), ranking 296 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Waverley?
In Waverley, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £49,769 (2025), ranking 16 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Waverley?
The nearest to Waverley are Guildford (8.2 km), Rushmoor (15 km), Woking (15 km), Mole Valley (17 km), Hart (19 km).