Dudley: population and statistics
Dudley has a population of 333,941 (2025) across 98.0 km², or 3,409 people per km². It ranks 43 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +5.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 333,941 residents
- 98.0 km²
- 3,409 people/km²
Dudley in numbers
Population of Dudley over time
Dudley had 316,393 residents in 2015 and 333,941 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 322,513 |
| 2021 | 323,591 |
| 2022 | 325,265 |
| 2023 | 327,845 |
| 2024 | 331,239 |
| 2025 | 333,941 |
All indicators for Dudley
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 | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.3% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 190 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.9% | 18.9% | 17.4% | ranked 92 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 142,710 dwellings | 2,655,660 | 27,429,300 | ranked 40 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 28.2% | 32.0% | 31.6% | ranked 196 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 10.7% | 17.6% | 18.1% | ranked 300 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 137,069 households | 150,800 | 61,440 | ranked 31 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 85.4% | 83.4% | 84.7% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 14.5% | 16.2% | 14.8% | ranked 162 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 66.9% | 63.2% | 67.3% | ranked 164 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 13.8% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 285 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 19.0% | 18.5% | 14.3% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £232,196 | £251,154 | £272,474 | ranked 226 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.5% | 2.2% | 2.2% | ranked 114 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.2% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 82.5% | 75.3% | 76.7% | ranked 38 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.4% | 7.9% | 7.8% | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.0% | 2.9% | 0.9% | ranked 310 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 11,700 sites | 255,340 | 3,232,440 | ranked 76 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 35.0 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 295 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 10,100 businesses | 219,540 | 2,786,975 | ranked 74 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,486 | £37,210 | £38,490 | ranked 266 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.6% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 191 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.6% | 5.2% | 3.2% | ranked 57 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Dudley | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 20.5% | 21.9% | 18.5% | ranked 125 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 30 local authorities in West Midlands, Dudley ranks 4 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.0% in Dudley, compared with an average of 2.9% in West Midlands and 3.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 10.7% in Dudley, compared with an average of 17.6% in West Midlands and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 21.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 13,721 football pitches.
- 12.0 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Sandwell, 4.5 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Birmingham (1,176,960 residents), 13 km away.
Business sectors: Dudley
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 trade21.4% ×1.3
- Construction15.3% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical10.5% ×0.8
- Manufacturing8.3% ×1.9
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.8% ×1.0
- Other service activities4.9% ×1.2
Where is Dudley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dudley?
Dudley has 333,941 residents (2025), ranking 43 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Dudley?
Dudley covers 98.0 km², with a density of 3,409 people per km².
Is the population of Dudley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Dudley went from 316,393 to 333,941, a change of +5.5%.
Where is Dudley?
Dudley is in West Midlands (region). Latitude 52.500, longitude −2.083.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Dudley?
In Dudley, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.0% (2021), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Dudley?
In Dudley, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 10.7% (2026), ranking 300 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Dudley?
The nearest to Dudley are Sandwell (4.5 km), Wolverhampton (9.5 km), Walsall (12 km), Birmingham (13 km), South Staffordshire (16 km).