Stroud: population and statistics
Stroud has a population of 126,418 (2025) across 460.6 km², or 274 people per km². It ranks 233 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 126,418 residents
- 460.6 km²
- 274 people/km²
Stroud in numbers
Population of Stroud over time
Stroud had 116,770 residents in 2015 and 126,418 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 119,511 |
| 2021 | 121,493 |
| 2022 | 123,185 |
| 2023 | 124,399 |
| 2024 | 125,507 |
| 2025 | 126,418 |
All indicators for Stroud
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 | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.3% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 84 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.8% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 225 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 57,500 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 208 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 32.0% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 20.6% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 109 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 52,378 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 205 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 88.5% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 88 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.9% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 73.9% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 13.7% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 286 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.3% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £351,736 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 100 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.9% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 139 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 70.2% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 235 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.2% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 6.4% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 75 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,545 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 192 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 51.8 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 92 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,810 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 179 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,608 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 172 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 84.5% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 19 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.1% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 316 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Stroud | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.9% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 279 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Stroud ranks 17 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 84.5% in Stroud, compared with an average of 79.1% in South West and 75.6% across the UK.
Households renting privately: 13.7% in Stroud, compared with an average of 19.7% in South West and 20.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 15.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South West for “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Households renting privately”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 64,504 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Gloucester, 11.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is South Gloucestershire (308,787 residents), 27 km away.
Business sectors: Stroud
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 technical15.8% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.3% ×0.9
- Construction13.1% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.9% ×1.5
- Information and communication6.7% ×1.1
- Manufacturing6.0% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services6.0% ×0.8
Where is Stroud?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Stroud?
Stroud has 126,418 residents (2025), ranking 233 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Stroud?
Stroud covers 460.6 km², with a density of 274 people per km².
Is the population of Stroud growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Stroud went from 116,770 to 126,418, a change of +8.3%.
Where is Stroud?
Stroud is in South West (region). Latitude 51.748, longitude −2.216.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Stroud?
In Stroud, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 84.5% (2025-2026), ranking 19 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Households renting privately: what is the figure for Stroud?
In Stroud, “Households renting privately” stands at 13.7% (2021), ranking 286 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 17.6%.
Which local authorities border Stroud?
The nearest to Stroud are Gloucester (11 km), Cotswold (17 km), Cheltenham (19 km), Forest of Dean (23 km), South Gloucestershire (27 km).