Swansea: population and statistics
Swansea has a population of 249,429 (2025) across 377.6 km², or 660 people per km². It ranks 86 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 249,429 residents
- 377.6 km²
- 660 people/km²
Swansea in numbers
Population of Swansea over time
Swansea had 239,354 residents in 2015 and 249,429 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 238,992 |
| 2021 | 237,897 |
| 2022 | 242,786 |
| 2023 | 248,795 |
| 2024 | 250,594 |
| 2025 | 249,429 |
All indicators for Swansea
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 | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.7% | 22.2% | 20.4% | ranked 176 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.3% | 16.8% | 17.4% | ranked 253 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 116,740 dwellings | 1,492,630 | 27,429,300 | ranked 69 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 40.5% | 39.4% | 31.6% | ranked 82 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.0% | 15.3% | 18.1% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 104,962 households | 75,148 | 61,440 | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 83.9% | 87.0% | 84.7% | ranked 166 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 15.9% | 12.7% | 14.8% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 62.6% | 66.3% | 67.3% | ranked 223 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.0% | 17.1% | 17.6% | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 19.1% | 16.5% | 14.3% | ranked 72 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £205,383 | £218,855 | £272,474 | ranked 280 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.2% | 2.7% | 2.2% | ranked 267 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 80.3% | 71.8% | 76.7% | ranked 85 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.6% | 5.3% | 7.8% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.9% | 7.7% | 0.9% | ranked 135 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,570 sites | 128,250 | 3,232,440 | ranked 135 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 34.4 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 305 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,850 businesses | 106,170 | 2,786,975 | ranked 149 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,586 | £36,288 | £38,490 | ranked 238 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 65.6% | 72.2% | 76.3% | ranked 336 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 142 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Swansea | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 22.6% | 19.5% | 18.5% | ranked 106 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 22 local authorities in Wales, Swansea ranks 2 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 65.6% in Swansea, compared with an average of 72.2% in Wales and 75.6% across the UK.
Households without central heating: 0.9% in Swansea, compared with an average of 1.1% in Wales and 1.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 52,891 football pitches.
- 2.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Neath Port Talbot, 18.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Cardiff (381,516 residents), 58 km away.
Business sectors: Swansea
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade18.1% ×1.1
- Construction12.1% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.5% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services9.9% ×1.4
- Health and social work8.0% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services7.3% ×0.9
- Other service activities5.3% ×1.3
- Transport and storage4.8% ×1.1
Where is Swansea?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Swansea?
Swansea has 249,429 residents (2025), ranking 86 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Swansea?
Swansea covers 377.6 km², with a density of 660 people per km².
Is the population of Swansea growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Swansea went from 239,354 to 249,429, a change of +4.2%.
Where is Swansea?
Swansea is in Wales (region). Latitude 51.583, longitude −4.000.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Swansea?
In Swansea, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 65.6% (2025-2026), ranking 336 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Swansea?
In Swansea, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.9% (2021), ranking 242 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Which local authorities border Swansea?
The nearest to Swansea are Neath Port Talbot (19 km), Bridgend (30 km), Carmarthenshire (37 km), Rhondda Cynon Taf (39 km), Vale of Glamorgan (44 km).