Bradford: population and statistics
Bradford has a population of 557,758 (2025) across 366.4 km², or 1,522 people per km². It ranks 10 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 557,758 residents
- 366.4 km²
- 1,522 people/km²
Bradford in numbers
Population of Bradford over time
Bradford had 534,919 residents in 2015 and 557,758 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 547,141 |
| 2021 | 546,839 |
| 2022 | 550,629 |
| 2023 | 556,919 |
| 2024 | 559,818 |
| 2025 | 557,758 |
All indicators for Bradford
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 | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 16.1% | 19.7% | 20.4% | ranked 295 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 21.9% | 18.0% | 17.4% | ranked 10 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 225,120 dwellings | 2,563,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 12 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 45.9% | 36.9% | 31.6% | ranked 50 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.0% | 17.3% | 18.1% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 209,867 households | 193,754 | 61,440 | ranked 11 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 84.3% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 163 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 15.4% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 153 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 62.2% | 63.1% | 67.3% | ranked 226 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 23.0% | 19.5% | 17.6% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.6% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £182,766 | £212,777 | £272,474 | ranked 316 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.5% | 3.6% | 2.2% | ranked 165 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.2% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 78.4% | 77.6% | 76.7% | ranked 125 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 7.2% | 6.5% | 7.8% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.3% | 2.2% | 0.9% | ranked 199 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 19,635 sites | 229,245 | 3,232,440 | ranked 24 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 35.2 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 291 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 17,195 businesses | 194,060 | 2,786,975 | ranked 24 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £33,526 | £35,917 | £38,490 | ranked 323 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.1% | 73.4% | 76.3% | ranked 314 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.9% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 7 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 27.6% | 24.3% | 18.5% | ranked 56 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 15 local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, Bradford ranks 4 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 21.9% in Bradford, compared with an average of 18.0% in Yorkshire and The Humber and 17.7% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 6.9% in Bradford, compared with an average of 4.1% in Yorkshire and The Humber and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 23.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Share of residents aged under 16”.
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Households without central heating”.
- “Share of residents aged under 16”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 51,315 football pitches.
- 5.4 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Bradford
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 trade23.4% ×1.5
- Construction11.0% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical10.3% ×0.7
- Health and social work8.2% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services7.7% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services7.6% ×1.1
- Manufacturing6.3% ×1.5
- Transport and storage5.1% ×1.2
Where is Bradford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bradford?
Bradford has 557,758 residents (2025), ranking 10 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bradford?
Bradford covers 366.4 km², with a density of 1,522 people per km².
Is the population of Bradford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bradford went from 534,919 to 557,758, a change of +4.3%.
Where is Bradford?
Bradford is in Yorkshire and The Humber (region). Latitude 53.792, longitude −1.754.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Bradford?
In Bradford, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 21.9% (2025), ranking 10 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Bradford?
In Bradford, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 6.9% (2026), ranking 7 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Bradford?
The nearest to Bradford are Leeds (13 km), Calderdale (16 km), Wakefield (21 km), Kirklees (22 km), Pendle (28 km).