Birmingham: population and statistics
Birmingham has a population of 1,176,960 (2025) across 267.8 km², or 4,395 people per km². It ranks 1 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +5.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,176,960 residents
- 267.8 km²
- 4,395 people/km²
Birmingham in numbers
Population of Birmingham over time
Birmingham had 1,114,932 residents in 2015 and 1,176,960 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,148,692 |
| 2021 | 1,143,285 |
| 2022 | 1,153,436 |
| 2023 | 1,169,606 |
| 2024 | 1,182,920 |
| 2025 | 1,176,960 |
All indicators for Birmingham
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 | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 13.3% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 330 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 21.2% | 18.9% | 17.4% | ranked 15 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 469,240 dwellings | 2,655,660 | 27,429,300 | ranked 1 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 46.2% | 32.0% | 31.6% | ranked 47 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.8% | 17.6% | 18.1% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 423,455 households | 150,800 | 61,440 | ranked 1 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 74.5% | 83.4% | 84.7% | ranked 254 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 25.4% | 16.2% | 14.8% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 53.5% | 63.2% | 67.3% | ranked 280 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 22.6% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 23.5% | 18.5% | 14.3% | ranked 35 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £234,257 | £251,154 | £272,474 | ranked 224 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.2% | ranked 165 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.2% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 74.2% | 75.3% | 76.7% | ranked 198 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.7% | 7.9% | 7.8% | ranked 41 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 2.9% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 45,590 sites | 255,340 | 3,232,440 | ranked 2 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 38.7 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 256 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 38,605 businesses | 219,540 | 2,786,975 | ranked 2 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,989 | £37,210 | £38,490 | ranked 255 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 66.8% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 330 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 10.1% | 5.2% | 3.2% | ranked 1 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Birmingham | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 31.7% | 21.9% | 18.5% | ranked 39 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 30 local authorities in West Midlands, Birmingham ranks 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 21.1% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in West Midlands for “Population”.
- Number 1 in West Midlands for “Population density”.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 37,504 football pitches.
- 15.5 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Birmingham
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 trade21.1% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical12.5% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.0% ×1.1
- Construction8.7% ×0.7
- Health and social work8.4% ×1.5
- Accommodation and food services8.1% ×1.2
- Transport and storage5.5% ×1.3
- Real estate5.3% ×1.2
Where is Birmingham?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Birmingham?
Birmingham has 1,176,960 residents (2025), ranking 1 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Birmingham?
Birmingham covers 267.8 km², with a density of 4,395 people per km².
Is the population of Birmingham growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Birmingham went from 1,114,932 to 1,176,960, a change of +5.6%.
Where is Birmingham?
Birmingham is in West Midlands (region). Latitude 52.480, longitude −1.898.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Birmingham?
In Birmingham, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 469,240 dwellings (2026), ranking 1 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Birmingham?
In Birmingham, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 45,590 sites (2026), ranking 2 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Birmingham?
The nearest to Birmingham are Sandwell (8.5 km), Solihull (11 km), Dudley (13 km), Walsall (13 km), Wolverhampton (19 km).