Population & Census

Current and future population figures, and a range of Census data.

2021 Census

Data from the 2021 Census release will appear here.

Initial population data and key statistics from the census were released in Autumn 2022. A selection of the data can be viewed in the dashboards below.

More information on future releases can be found at the link below.

Population Estimates

Annual population estimates are produced by ONS by age and gender at a variety of different levels of geography. They present the population of an area at a specific point in time, providing an important overview of the population size and make up between each census.

Local Authority Population Estimates

The latest local authority population projections were published in 2020 and covered mid-2019.

A dashboard summarising the mid-2019 population estimates by age and gender for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is available at the link below:

Small Area Population Estimates

Population estimates for geographies below local authority level are available for mid-2020. The dashboard below summarises population data by age and gender for Leicestershire Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and Wards.

More information on population estimates is available from the Office for National Statistics website at the link below.

Population Projections

In addition to population estimates, which are snapshots in time, ONS produces population projections, approximately every two years. Population projections provide an indication of the future size and age structure of the population based on mid-year population estimates and a set of assumptions of future fertility, mortality and migration. (Source: ONS)

The latest population projections were published in 2020 and are based on revised 2018 mid-year population estimates. A dashboard summarising the projections for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is available at the link below.

More information on population projections is available from the Office for National Statistics website at the link below.

Small Area Population Projections

No official small area population projections are released by the Office for National Statistics. However, Leicestershire County Council commissioned Edge Analytics to produce ward level population projections in order to inform the 2015 Local Government Boundary review.

While this dataset should not be considered official statistics, it can provide a useful guide to possible future population change at a small area level within the county. As such they should be considered experimental and caution should be taken when using them to inform policy.

There are currently no plans to update this dataset.

To access the data via an interactive dashboard, please follow the link below;

Household Projections

Office for National Statistics (ONS) produced the 2018-based household projections in 2020. They are published every two years. They provide an indication of the future number of households in England and its regions and local authorities up to 2043. This is the second year that ONS has published household projections for England, previously, they were published by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

A dashboard summarising the household projections for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is available at the link below.

More information on household projections is available from the Office for National Statistics website at the link below.