Carmarthenshire: population and statistics
Carmarthenshire has a population of 190,037 (2025) across 2,371.1 km², or 80.1 people per km². It ranks 126 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 190,037 residents
- 2,371.1 km²
- 80 people/km²
Carmarthenshire in numbers
Population of Carmarthenshire over time
Carmarthenshire had 184,404 residents in 2015 and 190,037 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 187,391 |
| 2021 | 188,172 |
| 2022 | 189,142 |
| 2023 | 190,255 |
| 2024 | 190,346 |
| 2025 | 190,037 |
All indicators for Carmarthenshire
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 | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.6% | 22.2% | 20.4% | ranked 64 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.4% | 16.8% | 17.4% | ranked 249 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 90,470 dwellings | 1,492,630 | 27,429,300 | ranked 101 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 46.0% | 39.4% | 31.6% | ranked 49 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.6% | 15.3% | 18.1% | ranked 210 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 81,759 households | 75,148 | 61,440 | ranked 101 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 92.5% | 87.0% | 84.7% | ranked 16 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 6.9% | 12.7% | 14.8% | ranked 302 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 70.7% | 66.3% | 67.3% | ranked 93 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.9% | 17.1% | 17.6% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.3% | 16.5% | 14.3% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £199,025 | £218,855 | £272,474 | ranked 293 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 6.0% | 2.7% | 2.2% | ranked 40 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 54.3% | 71.8% | 76.7% | ranked 297 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 4.0% | 5.3% | 7.8% | ranked 292 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 23.7% | 7.7% | 0.9% | ranked 7 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,315 sites | 128,250 | 3,232,440 | ranked 114 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 49.0 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 124 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,950 businesses | 106,170 | 2,786,975 | ranked 117 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,405 | £36,288 | £38,490 | ranked 211 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.5% | 72.2% | 76.3% | ranked 195 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.0% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 189 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Carmarthenshire | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 15.4% | 19.5% | 18.5% | ranked 208 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 22 local authorities in Wales, Carmarthenshire ranks 4 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 23.7% in Carmarthenshire, compared with an average of 7.7% in Wales and 3.4% across the UK.
Households living in a flat or maisonette: 6.9% in Carmarthenshire, compared with an average of 12.7% in Wales and 22.0% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 22.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Households living in a flat or maisonette”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 332,090 football pitches.
- 3.5 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Pembrokeshire, 36.5 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Cardiff (381,516 residents), 88 km away.
Business sectors: Carmarthenshire
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 fishing22.1% ×4.9
- Wholesale and retail trade15.6% ×1.0
- Construction11.3% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical7.5% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services6.6% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services6.5% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.9% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.7% ×1.1
Where is Carmarthenshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Carmarthenshire?
Carmarthenshire has 190,037 residents (2025), ranking 126 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Carmarthenshire?
Carmarthenshire covers 2,371.1 km², with a density of 80 people per km².
Is the population of Carmarthenshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Carmarthenshire went from 184,404 to 190,037, a change of +3.1%.
Where is Carmarthenshire?
Carmarthenshire is in Wales (region). Latitude 51.856, longitude −4.311.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Carmarthenshire?
In Carmarthenshire, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 23.7% (2021), ranking 7 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Households living in a flat or maisonette: what is the figure for Carmarthenshire?
In Carmarthenshire, “Households living in a flat or maisonette” stands at 6.9% (2021), ranking 302 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.8%.
Which local authorities border Carmarthenshire?
The nearest to Carmarthenshire are Pembrokeshire (37 km), Swansea (37 km), Neath Port Talbot (45 km), Ceredigion (49 km), Bridgend (64 km).