From a humble 8.3 million in 1801 to a bustling 56.5 million today, England's population story is one of dramatic transformation, revealing a crowded, diverse, and aging nation where nearly a third of everyone lives within the towering orbit of London.
Key Takeaways
- England's total population in the 2021 Census was 56,489,800 people
- England's population density in 2021 was 434 people per square kilometre
- Greater London holds 28.8% of England's total population at 8,799,800 in 2021
- England's median age in 2021 was 40.5 years
- 18.5% of England's population was aged 65 and over in mid-2021
- Children under 16 made up 18.2% of population in 2021 census
- 50.5% of England's population is female as per 2021 census
- Male population: 28,421,000 in 2021 census England
- Average household size in England is 2.36 people (2021)
- White ethnic group: 81.7% of England's population in 2021 census
- Asian or Asian British: 9.3% or 5.25 million in 2021 England census
- Black, Black British, Caribbean or African: 4.2% in 2021 census
- Net migration to England: 148,000 in year ending June 2022
- International migrants: 10.0 million in England mid-2021
- EU-born residents: 3.7 million or 6.6% in 2021 census England
England's population is large, dense, and concentrated, with continued growth and significant diversity.
Age Structure
- England's median age in 2021 was 40.5 years
- 18.5% of England's population was aged 65 and over in mid-2021
- Children under 16 made up 18.2% of population in 2021 census
- Working-age population (16-64) is 63.3% or 35.7 million in 2021
- Centenarians in England numbered 14,800 in mid-2021
- 0-4 age group population: 3,418,000 in mid-2021
- 85+ age group: 1,728,000 people in England 2021
- Dependency ratio in England is 58.0% as of 2021 data
- Population aged 20-24: 3,912,000 in mid-2021 estimates
- Females aged 0-15: 5,624,000 in 2021 census
- Males over 65: 3,218,000 in mid-2021
- Youth population (15-24) ratio: 10.8% in England 2021
- Old-age dependency ratio: 32.4% for England in 2021
- England's average life expectancy at birth for males is 79.0 years (2020-2022)
- Female life expectancy at birth: 82.9 years in England 2020-2022
- Population aged 30-34: 4,125,000 in England 2021
- 10-14 age group: 3,210,000 children in mid-2021
- Life expectancy males London: 80.5 years 2020-22
- Proportion 75+: 8.1% or 4.6 million in England 2021
- Infant mortality rate: 3.6 per 1,000 live births 2021
- Population aged 40-44: 4,032,000 in England mid-2021
- 65-69 age band: 2,456,000 people England 2021
- Healthy life expectancy females: 63.3 years England 2018-20
- Male sex ratio 65+: 78 males per 100 females 2021
- 5-9 year olds: 3,456,000 in mid-2021 England
Age Structure Interpretation
England is maturing gracefully but warily, with nearly a third of its working-age population needed to support the elderly while trying to remember where it left its youth.
Ethnicity and Religion
- White ethnic group: 81.7% of England's population in 2021 census
- Asian or Asian British: 9.3% or 5.25 million in 2021 England census
- Black, Black British, Caribbean or African: 4.2% in 2021 census
- Mixed or multiple ethnic groups: 2.9% of population in England 2021
- Other ethnic group: 2.1% in England 2021 census data
- Christian population: 46.2% or 26.1 million in 2021 census England
- No religion: 37.2% or 21.0 million in England 2021
- Muslim population: 6.5% or 3.67 million in 2021 census
- Hindu: 1.7% of England's population in 2021
- Sikh: 0.9% or 508,000 people in England 2021 census
- Foreign-born population: 16.8% or 9.5 million in 2021
- Polish speakers: highest non-English language at 1.1%
- Pakistani ethnic group: 2.7% within Asian category 2021
- Jewish population: 0.4% or 226,000 in England 2021 census
- Buddhist: 0.5% of population in 2021 England
- Indian ethnic group: 3.1% or 1.75 million 2021
- Gypsy or Irish Traveller: 0.2% population England 2021
- Religion not stated: 6.0% or 3.4 million in 2021
- Chinese ethnic group: 0.7% in England census 2021
- Black African ethnic group: 2.5% or 1.41 million 2021
- Arab ethnic group: 0.6% in England 2021 census
Ethnicity and Religion Interpretation
England's tapestry is far more intricate than "green and pleasant land" suggests, woven with increasing threads of "none" and "non-Christian" alongside a shrinking but still dominant white, Christian background, a vibrant mix of foreign-born and native-born residents that collectively speaks volumes about its past and hints loudly at its future.
Gender and Family
- 50.5% of England's population is female as per 2021 census
- Male population: 28,421,000 in 2021 census England
- Average household size in England is 2.36 people (2021)
- Lone parent families: 15.4% of all families in 2021 census
- Married or civil-partnered couples: 46.0% of households
- Single-person households: 30.0% or 7.8 million in England 2021
- Co-habiting couples: 17.8% of family units in 2021
- Fertility rate in England: 1.55 children per woman (2021)
- Female-headed households: 8.2% in England 2021 census
- Sex ratio at birth: 105.3 males per 100 females in England
- Households with dependent children: 26.7% in 2021 census
- Multi-generational households: 1.5% of total in England 2021
- Average age at first marriage for females: 32.6 years (2020)
- Divorce rate per 1,000 population: 6.6 in England 2021
- Gender pay gap for full-time employees: 7.4% in England
- Pensioner couples: 2.7 million households in England 2021
- Sex ratio overall: 98.4 males per 100 females England
- One-person households under 65: 18.5% in 2021 census
- Civil partnerships: 0.5% of couple households 2021
- Births to unmarried mothers: 47.8% in England 2021
- Average children per family: 1.8 in 2021 census
- Female population percentage in London: 51.3% 2021 census
- Same-sex couple households: 0.8% in England 2021
- Households with 3+ dependent children: 2.1% 2021 census
- Male life expectancy at 65: 18.9 years England 2020-22
Gender and Family Interpretation
England in 2021 presents a picture of stubbornly traditional patterns fraying at the edges, where nearly half of all births are to unmarried mothers and lone-parent families are commonplace, yet the average household still clings to a nuclear ideal of 2.36 people, all while everyone postpones marriage, debates the gender pay gap, and increasingly opts to live alone.
Migration and Projections
- Net migration to England: 148,000 in year ending June 2022
- International migrants: 10.0 million in England mid-2021
- EU-born residents: 3.7 million or 6.6% in 2021 census England
- Non-EU born: 5.8 million in England 2021 census
- Internal migration within England: 2.6 million moves in 2021
- Emigration from England: 432,000 in year to June 2022
- Immigration to England: 1.1 million long-term in 2022 estimates
- Population projection for 2043: 64.4 million in England
- Zero migration scenario projection: 59.2 million by 2043 England
- Main reason for migration: work at 29% of inflows 2022
- Asylum seekers granted status: 67,337 in year to 2022 England
- Student migrants: 42% of non-EU visas issued 2022
- Net long-term migration: 272,000 year ending Dec 2022
- England's population forecast 2026: 57.9 million under principal projection
- High migration scenario 2043: 68.7 million England population
- England's net international migration contribution to growth: 71% 2011-2021
Migration and Projections Interpretation
For all the talk of borders and policy, England's story is one of relentless human motion, where a daily tide of 2.6 million internal shuffles meets a defining long-term inflow from abroad, ensuring that while a quiet village may dream of stasis, the national pulse is set by the student, the worker, and the seeker of refuge.
Total Population and Density
- England's total population in the 2021 Census was 56,489,800 people
- England's population density in 2021 was 434 people per square kilometre
- Greater London holds 28.8% of England's total population at 8,799,800 in 2021
- England's land area is 130,279 square kilometres supporting 56.5 million residents
- South East England had a population of 9,264,400 in mid-2021
- North West England's population reached 7,417,300 in 2021 census
- England's urban population percentage is 84.4% as of 2023 estimates
- Population growth rate in England from 2011-2021 was 6.6%
- England's population in 1801 was 8.3 million
- West Midlands region population: 5,934,400 in mid-2021
- East of England population stood at 6,236,700 in 2021
- South West England had 5,624,700 residents in mid-2021
- Yorkshire and the Humber population: 5,480,000 in 2021
- East Midlands population: 4,862,200 in mid-2021
- North East England population: 2,669,800 in 2021 census
- England's population projection for 2036 is 61.9 million
- Rural population in England constitutes 15.6% or about 8.8 million in 2021
- England's population in 1951 was 41.2 million
- Population density in London: 5,640 per sq km in 2021
- England's projected population density 2036: 475 per sq km
- Northeast Somerset density: 260 per sq km mid-2021
- England's total population mid-2020 was 56,286,961
- England's urban areas house 90% of population across 17 million in conurbations
- Population of Manchester urban area: 2,820,000 in 2021
- Birmingham urban area population: 2,564,000 in 2021 census
- Liverpool urban area: 864,000 residents mid-2021
Total Population and Density Interpretation
While it now takes the entire landmass of England to hold the nine million people of the South East, we still manage to cram nearly a third of the country into a single, gloriously dense London pigeonhole.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 3GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 4NOMISWEBnomisweb.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 5WORLDPOPULATIONREVIEWworldpopulationreview.comVisit source
- Reference 6VISIONOFBRITAINvisionofbritain.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 7DATAdata.worldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 8ECec.europa.euVisit source