Winchester: population and statistics
Winchester has a population of 136,856 (2025) across 661.0 km², or 207 people per km². It ranks 216 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 136,856 residents
- 661.0 km²
- 207 people/km²
Winchester in numbers
Population of Winchester over time
Winchester had 121,440 residents in 2015 and 136,856 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 125,754 |
| 2021 | 127,921 |
| 2022 | 130,537 |
| 2023 | 133,284 |
| 2024 | 135,444 |
| 2025 | 136,856 |
All indicators for Winchester
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 | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 154 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.7% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 164 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 59,740 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 194 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 23.9% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 239 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 26.9% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 30 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 51,712 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.0% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 186 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 16.7% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 66.9% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 164 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.6% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 15.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 131 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £463,025 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 48 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.1% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 185 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 68.7% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 245 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.7% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 7.6% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 64 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,175 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 119 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 67.0 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 19 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,235 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 110 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £45,766 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 42 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.3% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 100 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.1% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 316 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Winchester | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.5% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 247 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Winchester ranks 34 by population.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: 67.0 per 1,000 in Winchester, compared with an average of 48.7 per 1,000 in South East and 46.5 per 1,000 across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 26.9% in Winchester, compared with an average of 19.8% in South East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South East for “Business sites per 1,000 residents”.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 92,573 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Eastleigh, 12.5 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Southampton (259,230 residents), 17 km away.
Business sectors: Winchester
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 trade19.9% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical17.7% ×1.3
- Construction10.8% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Information and communication6.7% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.0% ×0.7
- Health and social work4.9% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.7% ×1.1
Where is Winchester?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Winchester?
Winchester has 136,856 residents (2025), ranking 216 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Winchester?
Winchester covers 661.0 km², with a density of 207 people per km².
Is the population of Winchester growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Winchester went from 121,440 to 136,856, a change of +12.7%.
Where is Winchester?
Winchester is in South East (region). Latitude 51.062, longitude −1.317.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: what is the figure for Winchester?
In Winchester, “Business sites per 1,000 residents” stands at 67.0 per 1,000 (2026), ranking 19 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 44.4 per 1,000.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Winchester?
In Winchester, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 26.9% (2026), ranking 30 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Winchester?
The nearest to Winchester are Eastleigh (13 km), Test Valley (15 km), Southampton (17 km), Fareham (25 km), Basingstoke and Deane (26 km).