Powys: population and statistics
Powys has a population of 134,843 (2025) across 5,195.3 km², or 26.0 people per km². It ranks 219 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 134,843 residents
- 5,195.3 km²
- 26 people/km²
Powys in numbers
Population of Powys over time
Powys had 132,945 residents in 2015 and 134,843 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 132,199 |
| 2021 | 133,521 |
| 2022 | 133,860 |
| 2023 | 134,550 |
| 2024 | 134,855 |
| 2025 | 134,843 |
All indicators for Powys
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 | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.6% | 22.2% | 20.4% | ranked 13 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.9% | 16.8% | 17.4% | ranked 327 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 67,300 dwellings | 1,492,630 | 27,429,300 | ranked 162 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 41.3% | 39.4% | 31.6% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.3% | 15.3% | 18.1% | ranked 192 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 60,182 households | 75,148 | 61,440 | ranked 165 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 90.8% | 87.0% | 84.7% | ranked 42 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 8.3% | 12.7% | 14.8% | ranked 284 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.9% | 66.3% | 67.3% | ranked 142 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.9% | 17.1% | 17.6% | ranked 148 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.1% | 16.5% | 14.3% | ranked 167 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £237,762 | £218,855 | £272,474 | ranked 216 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.8% | 2.7% | 2.2% | ranked 100 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.8% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 38.9% | 71.8% | 76.7% | ranked 315 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.7% | 5.3% | 7.8% | ranked 198 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 27.7% | 7.7% | 0.9% | ranked 3 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,745 sites | 128,250 | 3,232,440 | ranked 97 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 72.3 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 14 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,780 businesses | 106,170 | 2,786,975 | ranked 90 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,909 | £36,288 | £38,490 | ranked 258 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.3% | 72.2% | 76.3% | ranked 173 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.7% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 223 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Powys | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.1% | 19.5% | 18.5% | ranked 252 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 22 local authorities in Wales, Powys ranks 12 by population.
Households heated by mains gas only: 38.9% in Powys, compared with an average of 71.8% in Wales and 73.9% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 29.6% in Powys, compared with an average of 22.2% in Wales and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 33.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Wales for “Share of residents aged 65 and over”.
- Number 1 in Wales for “Business sites per 1,000 residents”.
- “Households heated by mains gas only”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 727,634 football pitches.
- 10.9 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: Powys
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 fishing33.6% ×7.5
- Wholesale and retail trade12.6% ×0.8
- Construction10.1% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services7.3% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical6.5% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services5.9% ×0.7
- Manufacturing4.2% ×1.0
- Health and social work3.5% ×0.6
Where is Powys?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Powys?
Powys has 134,843 residents (2025), ranking 219 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Powys?
Powys covers 5,195.3 km², with a density of 26 people per km².
Is the population of Powys growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Powys went from 132,945 to 134,843, a change of +1.4%.
Where is Powys?
Powys is in Wales (region). Latitude 52.300, longitude −3.417.
Households heated by mains gas only: what is the figure for Powys?
In Powys, “Households heated by mains gas only” stands at 38.9% (2021), ranking 315 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 76.7%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Powys?
In Powys, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 29.6% (2025), ranking 13 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Powys?
The nearest to Powys are Ceredigion (40 km), Herefordshire, County of (51 km), Blaenau Gwent (60 km), Merthyr Tydfil (61 km), Shropshire (64 km).