North Yorkshire: population and statistics
North Yorkshire has a population of 639,133 (2025) across 8,040.0 km², or 79.5 people per km². It ranks 4 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +5.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 639,133 residents
- 8,040.0 km²
- 80 people/km²
North Yorkshire in numbers
Population of North Yorkshire over time
North Yorkshire had 603,711 residents in 2015 and 639,133 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 610,899 |
| 2021 | 618,627 |
| 2022 | 623,520 |
| 2023 | 628,076 |
| 2024 | 633,692 |
| 2025 | 639,133 |
All indicators for North Yorkshire
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 | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.7% | 19.7% | 20.4% | ranked 47 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.5% | 18.0% | 17.4% | ranked 298 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 308,400 dwellings | 2,563,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 35.1% | 36.9% | 31.6% | ranked 126 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.1% | 17.3% | 18.1% | ranked 136 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 274,381 households | 193,754 | 61,440 | ranked 3 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 86.8% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 12.7% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 183 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 69.4% | 63.1% | 67.3% | ranked 110 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.6% | 19.5% | 17.6% | ranked 129 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.9% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £270,463 | £212,777 | £272,474 | ranked 183 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.5% | 3.6% | 2.2% | ranked 165 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 63.7% | 77.6% | 76.7% | ranked 274 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.4% | 6.5% | 7.8% | ranked 207 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 11.9% | 2.2% | 0.9% | ranked 37 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 37,395 sites | 229,245 | 3,232,440 | ranked 4 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 58.5 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 46 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 32,555 businesses | 194,060 | 2,786,975 | ranked 4 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,783 | £35,917 | £38,490 | ranked 233 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.0% | 73.4% | 76.3% | ranked 138 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.0% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 331 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 15.7% | 24.3% | 18.5% | ranked 202 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 15 local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, North Yorkshire ranks 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 16.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Households heated by oil only”.
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Business sites (local units)”.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,126,056 football pitches.
- 3.6 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: North Yorkshire
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.4% ×3.7
- Wholesale and retail trade15.0% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical11.7% ×0.8
- Construction10.9% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services8.3% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services6.6% ×0.8
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.1
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.8
Where is North Yorkshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of North Yorkshire?
North Yorkshire has 639,133 residents (2025), ranking 4 of 361 local authorities.
How big is North Yorkshire?
North Yorkshire covers 8,040.0 km², with a density of 80 people per km².
Is the population of North Yorkshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of North Yorkshire went from 603,711 to 639,133, a change of +5.9%.
Where is North Yorkshire?
North Yorkshire is in Yorkshire and The Humber (region). Latitude 54.200, longitude −1.300.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for North Yorkshire?
In North Yorkshire, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 308,400 dwellings (2026), ranking 3 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for North Yorkshire?
In North Yorkshire, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 37,395 sites (2026), ranking 4 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border North Yorkshire?
The nearest to North Yorkshire are York (30 km), Darlington (39 km), Stockton-on-Tees (39 km), Middlesbrough (42 km), Redcar and Cleveland (46 km).