Rugby: population and statistics
Rugby has a population of 125,594 (2025) across 353.6 km², or 355 people per km². It ranks 236 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +18.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 125,594 residents
- 353.6 km²
- 355 people/km²
Rugby in numbers
Population of Rugby over time
Rugby had 106,327 residents in 2015 and 125,594 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 112,672 |
| 2021 | 114,835 |
| 2022 | 116,812 |
| 2023 | 119,644 |
| 2024 | 122,666 |
| 2025 | 125,594 |
All indicators for Rugby
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 | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.8% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 259 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.5% | 18.9% | 17.4% | ranked 66 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 52,680 dwellings | 2,655,660 | 27,429,300 | ranked 228 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 26.6% | 32.0% | 31.6% | ranked 211 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 28.5% | 17.6% | 18.1% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 47,015 households | 150,800 | 61,440 | ranked 233 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.0% | 83.4% | 84.7% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 12.6% | 16.2% | 14.8% | ranked 186 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.9% | 63.2% | 67.3% | ranked 120 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.0% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.9% | 18.5% | 14.3% | ranked 219 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £272,696 | £251,154 | £272,474 | ranked 180 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −3.5% | 2.2% | 2.2% | ranked 338 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.6% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 79.1% | 75.3% | 76.7% | ranked 111 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.5% | 7.9% | 7.8% | ranked 166 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.8% | 2.9% | 0.9% | ranked 138 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,660 sites | 255,340 | 3,232,440 | ranked 226 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 45.1 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 168 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,895 businesses | 219,540 | 2,786,975 | ranked 220 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £47,191 | £37,210 | £38,490 | ranked 29 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.8% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 114 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.9% | 5.2% | 3.2% | ranked 206 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Rugby | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.6% | 21.9% | 18.5% | ranked 221 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 30 local authorities in West Midlands, Rugby ranks 19 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 28.5% in Rugby, compared with an average of 17.6% in West Midlands and 18.6% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £47,191 in Rugby, compared with an average of £37,210 in West Midlands and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 14.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: higher than in 92% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 49,521 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Coventry, 17.8 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Coventry (364,766 residents), 18 km away.
Business sectors: Rugby
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 trade14.8% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical14.0% ×1.0
- Transport and storage10.2% ×2.4
- Construction10.1% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×0.9
- Information and communication7.2% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4.9% ×1.1
Where is Rugby?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rugby?
Rugby has 125,594 residents (2025), ranking 236 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Rugby?
Rugby covers 353.6 km², with a density of 355 people per km².
Is the population of Rugby growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rugby went from 106,327 to 125,594, a change of +18.1%.
Where is Rugby?
Rugby is in West Midlands (region). Latitude 52.375, longitude −1.264.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Rugby?
In Rugby, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 28.5% (2026), ranking 18 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Rugby?
In Rugby, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £47,191 (2025), ranking 29 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Rugby?
The nearest to Rugby are Coventry (18 km), Warwick (21 km), Nuneaton and Bedworth (21 km), Blaby (22 km), West Northamptonshire (23 km).