Wolverhampton: population and statistics
Wolverhampton has a population of 281,434 (2025) across 69.4 km², or 4,053 people per km². It ranks 70 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 281,434 residents
- 69.4 km²
- 4,053 people/km²
Wolverhampton in numbers
Population of Wolverhampton over time
Wolverhampton had 256,127 residents in 2015 and 281,434 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 263,123 |
| 2021 | 264,260 |
| 2022 | 268,886 |
| 2023 | 275,074 |
| 2024 | 280,541 |
| 2025 | 281,434 |
All indicators for Wolverhampton
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 | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.2% | 19.1% | 20.4% | ranked 294 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 21.2% | 18.9% | 17.4% | ranked 15 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 114,330 dwellings | 2,655,660 | 27,429,300 | ranked 74 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 37.1% | 32.0% | 31.6% | ranked 102 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 11.8% | 17.6% | 18.1% | ranked 286 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 105,142 households | 150,800 | 61,440 | ranked 69 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 79.3% | 83.4% | 84.7% | ranked 215 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 20.6% | 16.2% | 14.8% | ranked 100 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 55.4% | 63.2% | 67.3% | ranked 274 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 19.0% | 18.1% | 17.6% | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 25.2% | 18.5% | 14.3% | ranked 28 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £220,559 | £251,154 | £272,474 | ranked 252 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 7.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | ranked 23 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.2% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.5% | 75.3% | 76.7% | ranked 161 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.0% | 7.9% | 7.8% | ranked 82 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 2.9% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,735 sites | 255,340 | 3,232,440 | ranked 98 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 34.6 per 1,000 | 41.1 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 301 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,270 businesses | 219,540 | 2,786,975 | ranked 105 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,858 | £37,210 | £38,490 | ranked 260 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.8% | 73.9% | 76.3% | ranked 305 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.7% | 5.2% | 3.2% | ranked 10 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 28.5% | 21.9% | 18.5% | ranked 51 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 30 local authorities in West Midlands, Wolverhampton ranks 7 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Wolverhampton, compared with an average of 2.9% in West Midlands and 3.4% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 6.7% in Wolverhampton, compared with an average of 5.2% in West Midlands and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 21.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in West Midlands for “House price change over 12 months”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 9,725 football pitches.
- 14.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is South Staffordshire, 6.9 km away.
Business sectors: Wolverhampton
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 trade21.6% ×1.3
- Construction12.2% ×1.0
- Transport and storage10.1% ×2.4
- Professional, scientific and technical8.0% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services7.2% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.2% ×1.3
- Manufacturing6.2% ×1.4
Where is Wolverhampton?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wolverhampton?
Wolverhampton has 281,434 residents (2025), ranking 70 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Wolverhampton?
Wolverhampton covers 69.4 km², with a density of 4,053 people per km².
Is the population of Wolverhampton growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Wolverhampton went from 256,127 to 281,434, a change of +9.9%.
Where is Wolverhampton?
Wolverhampton is in West Midlands (region). Latitude 52.583, longitude −2.117.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Wolverhampton?
In Wolverhampton, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Wolverhampton?
In Wolverhampton, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 6.7% (2026), ranking 10 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Wolverhampton?
The nearest to Wolverhampton are South Staffordshire (6.9 km), Walsall (9.1 km), Dudley (9.5 km), Sandwell (11 km), Birmingham (19 km).