Plymouth: population and statistics
Plymouth has a population of 271,361 (2025) across 79.8 km², or 3,398 people per km². It ranks 77 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 271,361 residents
- 79.8 km²
- 3,398 people/km²
- 14 m
Plymouth in numbers
Population of Plymouth over time
Plymouth had 263,088 residents in 2015 and 271,361 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 264,830 |
| 2021 | 264,768 |
| 2022 | 267,574 |
| 2023 | 270,641 |
| 2024 | 271,904 |
| 2025 | 271,361 |
All indicators for Plymouth
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 | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.2% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 225 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.5% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 241 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 123,400 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 60 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 36.2% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.8% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 251 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 114,557 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 57 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 74.3% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 255 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 25.4% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 58.8% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 22.6% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 18.4% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 83 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £223,161 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 246 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.2% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 181 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.9% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.4% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,215 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 148 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 30.3 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 336 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,265 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 164 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,186 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 280 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 77.6% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 148 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 142 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Plymouth | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 24.9% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 82 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Plymouth ranks 8 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Plymouth, compared with an average of 7.0% in South West and 3.4% across the UK.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: 30.3 per 1,000 in Plymouth, compared with an average of 47.2 per 1,000 in South West and 46.5 per 1,000 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South West for “Households heated by mains gas only”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,183 football pitches.
- 12.0 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is West Devon, 27.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Cornwall (584,782 residents), 44 km away.
Business sectors: Plymouth
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 trade17.6% ×1.1
- Construction15.5% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical10.5% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services10.2% ×1.4
- Health and social work7.9% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Real estate4.9% ×1.1
- Other service activities4.4% ×1.1
Where is Plymouth?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Plymouth?
Plymouth has 271,361 residents (2025), ranking 77 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Plymouth?
Plymouth covers 79.8 km², with a density of 3,398 people per km².
Is the population of Plymouth growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Plymouth went from 263,088 to 271,361, a change of +3.1%.
Where is Plymouth?
Plymouth is in South West (region). Latitude 50.383, longitude −4.133.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Plymouth?
In Plymouth, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Business sites per 1,000 residents: what is the figure for Plymouth?
In Plymouth, “Business sites per 1,000 residents” stands at 30.3 per 1,000 (2026), ranking 336 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 44.4 per 1,000.
Which local authorities border Plymouth?
The nearest to Plymouth are West Devon (28 km), South Hams (32 km), Torbay (42 km), Teignbridge (42 km), Cornwall (44 km).