Leeds: population and statistics
Leeds has a population of 840,550 (2025) across 551.7 km², or 1,524 people per km². It ranks 2 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +8.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 840,550 residents
- 551.7 km²
- 1,524 people/km²
Leeds in numbers
Population of Leeds over time
Leeds had 777,987 residents in 2015 and 840,550 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 808,443 |
| 2021 | 809,479 |
| 2022 | 819,992 |
| 2023 | 833,035 |
| 2024 | 842,884 |
| 2025 | 840,550 |
All indicators for Leeds
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 | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 15.9% | 19.7% | 20.4% | ranked 299 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.2% | 18.0% | 17.4% | ranked 135 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 380,690 dwellings | 2,563,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 2 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 35.6% | 36.9% | 31.6% | ranked 120 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.4% | 17.3% | 18.1% | ranked 129 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 341,466 households | 193,754 | 61,440 | ranked 2 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 77.9% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 224 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 22.0% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 89 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 57.6% | 63.1% | 67.3% | ranked 263 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 21.8% | 19.5% | 17.6% | ranked 75 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 20.4% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 61 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £247,695 | £212,777 | £272,474 | ranked 205 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.8% | 3.6% | 2.2% | ranked 100 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Leeds | 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) | 76.7% | 77.6% | 76.7% | ranked 154 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.7% | 6.5% | 7.8% | ranked 62 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.2% | 2.2% | 0.9% | ranked 212 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 35,980 sites | 229,245 | 3,232,440 | ranked 5 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.8 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 201 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 29,830 businesses | 194,060 | 2,786,975 | ranked 6 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,716 | £35,917 | £38,490 | ranked 234 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.8% | 73.4% | 76.3% | ranked 185 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.6% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 57 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 28.7% | 24.3% | 18.5% | ranked 50 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 15 local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, Leeds ranks 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 77,269 football pitches.
- 5.4 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Wakefield, 13.3 km away.
Business sectors: Leeds
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 trade16.5% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical14.8% ×1.1
- Construction11.2% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.5% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services7.3% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.6% ×1.2
- Information and communication6.3% ×1.0
- Real estate5.3% ×1.2
Where is Leeds?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Leeds?
Leeds has 840,550 residents (2025), ranking 2 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Leeds?
Leeds covers 551.7 km², with a density of 1,524 people per km².
Is the population of Leeds growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Leeds went from 777,987 to 840,550, a change of +8.0%.
Where is Leeds?
Leeds is in Yorkshire and The Humber (region). Latitude 53.799, longitude −1.549.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Leeds?
In Leeds, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 380,690 dwellings (2026), ranking 2 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Leeds?
In Leeds, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 35,980 sites (2026), ranking 5 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Leeds?
The nearest to Leeds are Wakefield (13 km), Bradford (13 km), Barnsley (28 km), Kirklees (28 km), Calderdale (29 km).