Cornwall: population and statistics
Cornwall has a population of 584,782 (2025) across 3,549.3 km², or 165 people per km². It ranks 7 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 584,782 residents
- 3,549.3 km²
- 165 people/km²
Cornwall in numbers
Population of Cornwall over time
Cornwall had 547,334 residents in 2015 and 584,782 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 565,045 |
| 2021 | 571,948 |
| 2022 | 575,248 |
| 2023 | 578,961 |
| 2024 | 582,205 |
| 2025 | 584,782 |
All indicators for Cornwall
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 | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.5% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 48 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.6% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 296 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 288,840 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 34.4% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 132 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.7% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 250,533 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 85.6% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 12.8% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 180 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.4% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 156 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 19.7% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 106 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.8% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 223 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £275,642 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 176 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.7% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 282 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 3.5% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 46.7% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 308 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 15.2% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 11 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 13.8% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 28 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 29,950 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 7 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 51.2 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 95 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 25,575 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 9 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,002 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 285 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.8% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 164 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 189 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Cornwall | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 15.0% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 210 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Cornwall ranks 2 by population.
Households without central heating: 3.5% in Cornwall, compared with an average of 1.7% in South West and 1.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South West for “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”.
- Number 1 in South West for “Households (Census 2021)”.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 497,098 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Plymouth, 43.9 km away.
Business sectors: Cornwall
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 trade15.7% ×1.0
- Construction13.9% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.9% ×2.9
- Accommodation and food services10.5% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical9.5% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services6.5% ×0.8
- Health and social work4.7% ×0.8
- Manufacturing4.7% ×1.1
Where is Cornwall?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cornwall?
Cornwall has 584,782 residents (2025), ranking 7 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Cornwall?
Cornwall covers 3,549.3 km², with a density of 165 people per km².
Is the population of Cornwall growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Cornwall went from 547,334 to 584,782, a change of +6.8%.
Where is Cornwall?
Cornwall is in South West (region). Latitude 50.417, longitude −4.750.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Cornwall?
In Cornwall, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 288,840 dwellings (2026), ranking 4 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Cornwall?
In Cornwall, “Households without central heating” stands at 3.5% (2021), ranking 4 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Which local authorities border Cornwall?
The nearest to Cornwall are Plymouth (44 km), West Devon (52 km), Torridge (63 km), South Hams (75 km), Teignbridge (81 km).