West Devon: population and statistics
West Devon has a population of 58,980 (2025) across 1,161.1 km², or 50.8 people per km². It ranks 352 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 58,980 residents
- 1,161.1 km²
- 51 people/km²
West Devon in numbers
Population of West Devon over time
West Devon had 54,623 residents in 2015 and 58,980 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 56,236 |
| 2021 | 57,480 |
| 2022 | 58,152 |
| 2023 | 58,889 |
| 2024 | 58,849 |
| 2025 | 58,980 |
All indicators for West 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 | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 30.5% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 8 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.2% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 342 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 27,690 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 312 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 41.4% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 74 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.3% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 80 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 24,818 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 313 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.5% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 9.8% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 252 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 71.7% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.2% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 137 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.1% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 289 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £285,834 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 163 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.6% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 279 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.7% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 11 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 48.0% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 307 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.6% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 122 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 18.7% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 16 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,575 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 330 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 60.6 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 35 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,200 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 321 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,638 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 170 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.6% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 119 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 | West Devon | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 12.1% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 275 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, West Devon ranks 26 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 30.5% in West Devon, compared with an average of 23.2% in South West and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 27.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Households without central heating”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 162,623 football pitches.
- 5.6 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Plymouth, 27.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Plymouth (271,361 residents), 28 km away.
Business sectors: West 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 fishing27.3% ×6.1
- Wholesale and retail trade13.2% ×0.8
- Construction10.6% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical8.8% ×0.6
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services5.6% ×0.7
- Health and social work4.2% ×0.7
- Manufacturing3.9% ×0.9
Where is West Devon?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of West Devon?
West Devon has 58,980 residents (2025), ranking 352 of 361 local authorities.
How big is West Devon?
West Devon covers 1,161.1 km², with a density of 51 people per km².
Is the population of West Devon growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of West Devon went from 54,623 to 58,980, a change of +8.0%.
Where is West Devon?
West Devon is in South West (region). Latitude 50.633, longitude −4.100.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for West Devon?
In West Devon, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 30.5% (2025), ranking 8 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for West Devon?
In West Devon, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 27,690 dwellings (2026), ranking 312 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Which local authorities border West Devon?
The nearest to West Devon are Plymouth (28 km), Torridge (31 km), Teignbridge (34 km), South Hams (37 km), Exeter (43 km).