Barnsley: population and statistics
Barnsley has a population of 252,784 (2025) across 329.1 km², or 768 people per km². It ranks 83 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +6.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 252,784 residents
- 329.1 km²
- 768 people/km²
Barnsley in numbers
Population of Barnsley over time
Barnsley had 238,242 residents in 2015 and 252,784 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 244,201 |
| 2021 | 244,887 |
| 2022 | 246,705 |
| 2023 | 248,820 |
| 2024 | 251,325 |
| 2025 | 252,784 |
All indicators for Barnsley
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 | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.4% | 19.7% | 20.4% | ranked 181 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.0% | 18.0% | 17.4% | ranked 146 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 116,290 dwellings | 2,563,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 70 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 36.8% | 36.9% | 31.6% | ranked 108 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.9% | 17.3% | 18.1% | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 108,053 households | 193,754 | 61,440 | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 92.2% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 25 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 7.7% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 291 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 62.8% | 63.1% | 67.3% | ranked 221 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.2% | 19.5% | 17.6% | ranked 173 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 19.7% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 65 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £175,537 | £212,777 | £272,474 | ranked 324 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.5% | 3.6% | 2.2% | ranked 114 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.7% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 296 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 82.1% | 77.6% | 76.7% | ranked 46 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 3.4% | 6.5% | 7.8% | ranked 305 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.7% | 2.2% | 0.9% | ranked 167 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,035 sites | 229,245 | 3,232,440 | ranked 149 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 31.8 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 329 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 6,910 businesses | 194,060 | 2,786,975 | ranked 147 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,652 | £35,917 | £38,490 | ranked 236 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 72.3% | 73.4% | 76.3% | ranked 271 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.3% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 156 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 22.7% | 24.3% | 18.5% | ranked 102 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 15 local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, Barnsley ranks 11 by population.
Households without central heating: 0.7% in Barnsley, compared with an average of 1.5% in Yorkshire and The Humber and 1.5% across the UK.
Households living in a house or bungalow: 92.2% in Barnsley, compared with an average of 85.3% in Yorkshire and The Humber and 77.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Dwellings built since 2000”.
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Households living in a house or bungalow”.
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households living in a house or bungalow”: higher than in 92% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 46,091 football pitches.
- 2.7 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Barnsley
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 trade18.9% ×1.2
- Construction16.9% ×1.3
- Professional, scientific and technical9.0% ×0.6
- Transport and storage7.8% ×1.9
- Accommodation and food services7.6% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.5% ×0.8
- Health and social work5.7% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.5% ×1.3
Where is Barnsley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Barnsley?
Barnsley has 252,784 residents (2025), ranking 83 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Barnsley?
Barnsley covers 329.1 km², with a density of 768 people per km².
Is the population of Barnsley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Barnsley went from 238,242 to 252,784, a change of +6.1%.
Where is Barnsley?
Barnsley is in Yorkshire and The Humber (region). Latitude 53.550, longitude −1.467.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Barnsley?
In Barnsley, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.7% (2021), ranking 296 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Households living in a house or bungalow: what is the figure for Barnsley?
In Barnsley, “Households living in a house or bungalow” stands at 92.2% (2021), ranking 25 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 84.7%.
Which local authorities border Barnsley?
The nearest to Barnsley are Wakefield (15 km), Sheffield (15 km), Rotherham (15 km), Doncaster (23 km), Kirklees (23 km).