North Devon: population and statistics
North Devon has a population of 101,281 (2025) across 1,085.9 km², or 93.3 people per km². It ranks 294 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 101,281 residents
- 1,085.9 km²
- 93 people/km²
North Devon in numbers
Population of North Devon over time
North Devon had 93,859 residents in 2015 and 101,281 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 97,622 |
| 2021 | 99,398 |
| 2022 | 100,393 |
| 2023 | 100,519 |
| 2024 | 101,035 |
| 2025 | 101,281 |
All indicators for North Devon
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 | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.0% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 40 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.0% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 268 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 49,680 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 34.8% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 20.6% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 109 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 43,198 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 85.0% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 153 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 14.1% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 166 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.4% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 134 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 20.4% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 91 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.1% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 265 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £282,633 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 168 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −2.4% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 326 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 60.9% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 286 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 9.1% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 106 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 10.1% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 49 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,815 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 57.4 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 51 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,070 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 211 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £32,682 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 335 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 85.9% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 11 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 | North Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 17.0% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 178 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, North Devon ranks 20 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 85.9% in North Devon, compared with an average of 79.1% in South West and 75.6% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £32,682 in North Devon, compared with an average of £37,598 in South West and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 22.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: lower than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: higher than in 93% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 152,085 football pitches.
- 3.0 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Torridge, 25.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Swansea (249,429 residents), 56 km away.
Business sectors: North Devon
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing22.2% ×5.0
- Wholesale and retail trade15.3% ×1.0
- Construction12.1% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services9.2% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical8.4% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services5.6% ×0.7
- Manufacturing4.5% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.8
Where is North Devon?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of North Devon?
North Devon has 101,281 residents (2025), ranking 294 of 361 local authorities.
How big is North Devon?
North Devon covers 1,085.9 km², with a density of 93 people per km².
Is the population of North Devon growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of North Devon went from 93,859 to 101,281, a change of +7.9%.
Where is North Devon?
North Devon is in South West (region). Latitude 51.081, longitude −4.058.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for North Devon?
In North Devon, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 85.9% (2025-2026), ranking 11 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for North Devon?
In North Devon, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £32,682 (2025), ranking 335 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border North Devon?
The nearest to North Devon are Torridge (25 km), Mid Devon (45 km), West Devon (50 km), Exeter (56 km), Swansea (56 km).