Wakefield: population and statistics
Wakefield has a population of 369,450 (2025) across 338.6 km², or 1,091 people per km². It ranks 30 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +10.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 369,450 residents
- 338.6 km²
- 1,091 people/km²
Wakefield in numbers
Population of Wakefield over time
Wakefield had 333,908 residents in 2015 and 369,450 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 350,978 |
| 2021 | 353,803 |
| 2022 | 357,912 |
| 2023 | 362,336 |
| 2024 | 366,925 |
| 2025 | 369,450 |
All indicators for Wakefield
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 | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.4% | 19.7% | 20.4% | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.4% | 18.0% | 17.4% | ranked 125 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 165,710 dwellings | 2,563,580 | 27,429,300 | ranked 23 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 30.8% | 36.9% | 31.6% | ranked 168 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.6% | 17.3% | 18.1% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 153,075 households | 193,754 | 61,440 | ranked 20 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.0% | 85.3% | 84.7% | ranked 77 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.9% | 14.5% | 14.8% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 63.4% | 63.1% | 67.3% | ranked 213 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.9% | 19.5% | 17.6% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.7% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 46 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £199,347 | £212,777 | £272,474 | ranked 291 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 4.1% | 3.6% | 2.2% | ranked 91 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.0% | 1.5% | 1.2% | ranked 204 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 81.7% | 77.6% | 76.7% | ranked 54 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 5.2% | 6.5% | 7.8% | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.4% | 2.2% | 0.9% | ranked 190 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 12,570 sites | 229,245 | 3,232,440 | ranked 64 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 34.0 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 308 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 10,150 businesses | 194,060 | 2,786,975 | ranked 72 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,400 | £35,917 | £38,490 | ranked 308 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 75.4% | 73.4% | 76.3% | ranked 197 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.8% | 4.1% | 3.2% | ranked 107 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 22.8% | 24.3% | 18.5% | ranked 100 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 15 local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, Wakefield ranks 6 by population.
Households (Census 2021): 153,075 households in Wakefield, compared with an average of 193,754 households in Yorkshire and The Humber and 111,842 households across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £34,400 in Wakefield, compared with an average of £35,917 in Yorkshire and The Humber and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Yorkshire and The Humber for “Population change over 10 years”.
- “Households (Census 2021)”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 47,424 football pitches.
- 3.8 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Leeds, 13.3 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Leeds (840,550 residents), 13 km away.
Business sectors: Wakefield
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 trade19.4% ×1.2
- Construction14.0% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical9.8% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services8.1% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.7% ×1.2
- Transport and storage6.5% ×1.6
- Manufacturing6.2% ×1.5
Where is Wakefield?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Wakefield?
Wakefield has 369,450 residents (2025), ranking 30 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Wakefield?
Wakefield covers 338.6 km², with a density of 1,091 people per km².
Is the population of Wakefield growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Wakefield went from 333,908 to 369,450, a change of +10.6%.
Where is Wakefield?
Wakefield is in Yorkshire and The Humber (region). Latitude 53.683, longitude −1.499.
Households (Census 2021): what is the figure for Wakefield?
In Wakefield, “Households (Census 2021)” stands at 153,075 households (2021), ranking 20 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 61,440 households.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Wakefield?
In Wakefield, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £34,400 (2025), ranking 308 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Wakefield?
The nearest to Wakefield are Leeds (13 km), Barnsley (15 km), Bradford (21 km), Kirklees (22 km), Rotherham (30 km).