Cheltenham: population and statistics
Cheltenham has a population of 121,452 (2025) across 46.6 km², or 2,606 people per km². It ranks 243 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 121,452 residents
- 46.6 km²
- 2,606 people/km²
Cheltenham in numbers
Population of Cheltenham over time
Cheltenham had 117,693 residents in 2015 and 121,452 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 118,924 |
| 2021 | 118,838 |
| 2022 | 119,521 |
| 2023 | 120,759 |
| 2024 | 121,461 |
| 2025 | 121,452 |
All indicators for Cheltenham
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 | Cheltenham | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.4% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 181 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.8% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 225 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Cheltenham | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 57,760 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 205 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 33.1% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.3% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 192 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 52,899 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 72.6% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 265 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 26.8% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 64.3% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 23.4% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 61 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.2% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 239 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £322,758 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 129 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 253 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Cheltenham | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 79.3% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 106 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.1% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 78 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Cheltenham | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,410 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 197 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 52.8 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 81 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,375 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 197 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £41,399 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 111 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Cheltenham | South West | 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) | 2.7% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 223 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Cheltenham | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 20.1% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 133 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Cheltenham ranks 18 by population.
Households living in a house or bungalow: 72.6% in Cheltenham, compared with an average of 80.6% in South West and 77.6% across the UK.
Households heated by oil only: 0.2% in Cheltenham, compared with an average of 7.0% in South West and 3.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 17.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,527 football pitches.
- 9.2 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Gloucester, 12.6 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Swindon (245,286 residents), 43 km away.
Business sectors: Cheltenham
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 technical17.1% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.6% ×0.9
- Construction10.8% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.0% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services8.5% ×1.2
- Information and communication7.9% ×1.3
- Health and social work7.0% ×1.2
- Real estate5.2% ×1.2
Where is Cheltenham?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cheltenham?
Cheltenham has 121,452 residents (2025), ranking 243 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Cheltenham?
Cheltenham covers 46.6 km², with a density of 2,606 people per km².
Is the population of Cheltenham growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Cheltenham went from 117,693 to 121,452, a change of +3.2%.
Where is Cheltenham?
Cheltenham is in South West (region). Latitude 51.898, longitude −2.075.
Households living in a house or bungalow: what is the figure for Cheltenham?
In Cheltenham, “Households living in a house or bungalow” stands at 72.6% (2021), ranking 265 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 84.7%.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Cheltenham?
In Cheltenham, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.2% (2021), ranking 212 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Which local authorities border Cheltenham?
The nearest to Cheltenham are Gloucester (13 km), Tewkesbury (13 km), Stroud (19 km), Cotswold (21 km), Wychavon (24 km).