Exeter: population and statistics
Exeter has a population of 137,894 (2025) across 47.0 km², or 2,931 people per km². It ranks 213 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +13.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 137,894 residents
- 47.0 km²
- 2,931 people/km²
Exeter in numbers
Population of Exeter over time
Exeter had 121,583 residents in 2015 and 137,894 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 127,345 |
| 2021 | 129,527 |
| 2022 | 134,662 |
| 2023 | 136,288 |
| 2024 | 139,007 |
| 2025 | 137,894 |
All indicators for Exeter
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 | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.7% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 286 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 13.9% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 346 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 61,790 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 188 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 33.1% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 25.3% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 39 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 52,554 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 201 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 73.3% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 262 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 26.0% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 58 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 58.3% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 256 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 24.9% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 53 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 16.6% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 105 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £282,696 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 167 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −1.7% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 316 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.2% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.4% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 163 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.5% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.3% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 199 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,960 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 211 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 43.2 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 196 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,470 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 250 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,514 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 306 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.8% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 212 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.2% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 306 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Exeter | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 25.4% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 73 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Exeter ranks 16 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 13.9% in Exeter, compared with an average of 16.2% in South West and 17.7% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 25.3% in Exeter, compared with an average of 20.6% in South West and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: lower than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,588 football pitches.
- 10.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Teignbridge, 17.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Plymouth (271,361 residents), 58 km away.
Business sectors: Exeter
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 trade17.2% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical13.9% ×1.0
- Construction12.2% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services7.7% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.4% ×1.3
- Information and communication5.5% ×0.9
- Real estate5.5% ×1.2
Where is Exeter?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Exeter?
Exeter has 137,894 residents (2025), ranking 213 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Exeter?
Exeter covers 47.0 km², with a density of 2,931 people per km².
Is the population of Exeter growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Exeter went from 121,583 to 137,894, a change of +13.4%.
Where is Exeter?
Exeter is in South West (region). Latitude 50.717, longitude −3.509.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Exeter?
In Exeter, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 13.9% (2025), ranking 346 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Exeter?
In Exeter, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 25.3% (2026), ranking 39 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Exeter?
The nearest to Exeter are Teignbridge (17 km), East Devon (20 km), Mid Devon (20 km), Torbay (30 km), South Hams (34 km).