Bristol, City of: population and statistics
Bristol, City of has a population of 495,260 (2025) across 109.7 km², or 4,516 people per km². It ranks 15 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 495,260 residents
- 109.7 km²
- 4,516 people/km²
Bristol, City of in numbers
Population of Bristol, City of over time
Bristol, City of had 451,790 residents in 2015 and 495,260 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 471,851 |
| 2021 | 471,285 |
| 2022 | 479,802 |
| 2023 | 486,729 |
| 2024 | 494,225 |
| 2025 | 495,260 |
All indicators for Bristol, City of
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 | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 12.7% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 335 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.9% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 275 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 214,520 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 13 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 50.0% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 37 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.3% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 152 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 191,638 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 13 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 64.7% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 282 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 35.2% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 37 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 54.8% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 276 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 26.2% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 47 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.7% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 78 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £352,262 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 99 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.1% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 185 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.0% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 182 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 13.0% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 23 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 22,300 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 18 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 45.0 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 170 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 18,295 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 20 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,509 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 151 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.8% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 80 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.6% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 120 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bristol, City of | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.2% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 67 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Bristol, City of ranks 4 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Bristol, City of, compared with an average of 7.0% in South West and 3.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 16.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South West for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in South West for “Dwellings built before 1940”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,359 football pitches.
- 15.9 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Bristol, City of
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 technical16.6% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.2% ×0.9
- Construction10.2% ×0.8
- Information and communication9.0% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services8.8% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services8.1% ×1.2
- Health and social work6.4% ×1.1
- Real estate4.8% ×1.1
Where is Bristol, City of?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bristol, City of?
Bristol, City of has 495,260 residents (2025), ranking 15 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bristol, City of?
Bristol, City of covers 109.7 km², with a density of 4,516 people per km².
Is the population of Bristol, City of growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bristol, City of went from 451,790 to 495,260, a change of +9.6%.
Where is Bristol, City of?
Bristol, City of is in South West (region). Latitude 51.450, longitude −2.583.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Bristol, City of?
In Bristol, City of, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Bristol, City of?
In Bristol, City of, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 214,520 dwellings (2026), ranking 13 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Which local authorities border Bristol, City of?
The nearest to Bristol, City of are South Gloucestershire (15 km), North Somerset (17 km), Bath and North East Somerset (19 km), Wiltshire (30 km), Newport (32 km).