Wiltshire: population and statistics
Wiltshire has a population of 526,392 (2025) across 3,255.4 km², or 162 people per km². It ranks 13 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 526,392 residents
- 3,255.4 km²
- 162 people/km²
Wiltshire in numbers
Population of Wiltshire over time
Wiltshire had 488,377 residents in 2015 and 526,392 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 507,047 |
| 2021 | 513,240 |
| 2022 | 515,957 |
| 2023 | 519,941 |
| 2024 | 524,001 |
| 2025 | 526,392 |
All indicators for Wiltshire
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 | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.5% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 100 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.1% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 202 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 234,120 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 11 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 26.0% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 218 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.8% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 215,081 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 9 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.7% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 107 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.6% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 208 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.0% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.4% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 165 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.5% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 151 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £328,746 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 122 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.6% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 158 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 60.6% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 287 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.0% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 55 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 13.0% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 30 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 24,985 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 15 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 47.5 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 140 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 21,570 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 14 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,811 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 198 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.5% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 50 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.3% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 288 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wiltshire | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.1% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 252 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Wiltshire ranks 3 by population.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 15.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by oil only”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 455,937 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Bath and North East Somerset, 11.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Birmingham (1,176,960 residents), 131 km away.
Business sectors: Wiltshire
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 technical15.0% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade14.4% ×0.9
- Construction12.3% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.2% ×1.8
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×0.9
- Information and communication5.8% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.2% ×0.9
Where is Wiltshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wiltshire?
Wiltshire has 526,392 residents (2025), ranking 13 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Wiltshire?
Wiltshire covers 3,255.4 km², with a density of 162 people per km².
Is the population of Wiltshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Wiltshire went from 488,377 to 526,392, a change of +7.8%.
Where is Wiltshire?
Wiltshire is in South West (region). Latitude 51.316, longitude −2.210.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Wiltshire?
In Wiltshire, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 234,120 dwellings (2026), ranking 11 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Wiltshire?
In Wiltshire, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 24,985 sites (2026), ranking 15 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Wiltshire?
The nearest to Wiltshire are Bath and North East Somerset (11 km), South Gloucestershire (29 km), Bristol, City of (30 km), North Somerset (42 km), Swindon (43 km).