England has a population of 56.5 million. Its median age stands at 40.5 years. Shifts in age structure, ethnic makeup, and migration create distinct trends across regions.
Key Takeaways
- England's median age in 2021 was 40.5 years
- White ethnic group: 81.7% of England's population in 2021 census
- 50.5% of England's population is female as per 2021 census
- Net migration to England: 148,000 in year ending June 2022
- England's total population in the 2021 Census was 56,489,800 people
England’s population is growing steadily, reflecting ongoing demographic changes across the country.
Related reading
01 · Category
Age Structure25 stats
01
England's median age in 2021 was 40.5 years
02
18.5% of England's population was aged 65 and over in mid-2021
03
Children under 16 made up 18.2% of population in 2021 census
04
Working-age population (16-64) is 63.3% or 35.7 million in 2021
05
Centenarians in England numbered 14,800 in mid-2021
06
0-4 age group population: 3,418,000 in mid-2021
07
85+ age group: 1,728,000 people in England 2021
08
Dependency ratio in England is 58.0% as of 2021 data
09
Population aged 20-24: 3,912,000 in mid-2021 estimates
10
Females aged 0-15: 5,624,000 in 2021 census
11
Males over 65: 3,218,000 in mid-2021
12
Youth population (15-24) ratio: 10.8% in England 2021
13
Old-age dependency ratio: 32.4% for England in 2021
14
England's average life expectancy at birth for males is 79.0 years (2020-2022)
15
Female life expectancy at birth: 82.9 years in England 2020-2022
16
Population aged 30-34: 4,125,000 in England 2021
17
10-14 age group: 3,210,000 children in mid-2021
18
Life expectancy males London: 80.5 years 2020-22
19
Proportion 75+: 8.1% or 4.6 million in England 2021
20
Infant mortality rate: 3.6 per 1,000 live births 2021
21
Population aged 40-44: 4,032,000 in England mid-2021
22
65-69 age band: 2,456,000 people England 2021
23
Healthy life expectancy females: 63.3 years England 2018-20
24
Male sex ratio 65+: 78 males per 100 females 2021
25
5-9 year olds: 3,456,000 in mid-2021 England
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Ethnicity and Religion21 stats
01
White ethnic group: 81.7% of England's population in 2021 census
02
Asian or Asian British: 9.3% or 5.25 million in 2021 England census
03
Black, Black British, Caribbean or African: 4.2% in 2021 census
04
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups: 2.9% of population in England 2021
05
Other ethnic group: 2.1% in England 2021 census data
06
Christian population: 46.2% or 26.1 million in 2021 census England
07
No religion: 37.2% or 21.0 million in England 2021
08
Muslim population: 6.5% or 3.67 million in 2021 census
09
Hindu: 1.7% of England's population in 2021
10
Sikh: 0.9% or 508,000 people in England 2021 census
11
Foreign-born population: 16.8% or 9.5 million in 2021
12
Polish speakers: highest non-English language at 1.1%
13
Pakistani ethnic group: 2.7% within Asian category 2021
14
Jewish population: 0.4% or 226,000 in England 2021 census
15
Buddhist: 0.5% of population in 2021 England
16
Indian ethnic group: 3.1% or 1.75 million 2021
17
Gypsy or Irish Traveller: 0.2% population England 2021
18
Religion not stated: 6.0% or 3.4 million in 2021
19
Chinese ethnic group: 0.7% in England census 2021
20
Black African ethnic group: 2.5% or 1.41 million 2021
21
Arab ethnic group: 0.6% in England 2021 census
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Gender and Family25 stats
01
50.5% of England's population is female as per 2021 census
02
Male population: 28,421,000 in 2021 census England
03
Average household size in England is 2.36 people (2021)
04
Lone parent families: 15.4% of all families in 2021 census
05
Married or civil-partnered couples: 46.0% of households
06
Single-person households: 30.0% or 7.8 million in England 2021
07
Co-habiting couples: 17.8% of family units in 2021
08
Fertility rate in England: 1.55 children per woman (2021)
09
Female-headed households: 8.2% in England 2021 census
10
Sex ratio at birth: 105.3 males per 100 females in England
11
Households with dependent children: 26.7% in 2021 census
12
Multi-generational households: 1.5% of total in England 2021
13
Average age at first marriage for females: 32.6 years (2020)
14
Divorce rate per 1,000 population: 6.6 in England 2021
15
Gender pay gap for full-time employees: 7.4% in England
16
Pensioner couples: 2.7 million households in England 2021
17
Sex ratio overall: 98.4 males per 100 females England
18
One-person households under 65: 18.5% in 2021 census
19
Civil partnerships: 0.5% of couple households 2021
20
Births to unmarried mothers: 47.8% in England 2021
21
Average children per family: 1.8 in 2021 census
22
Female population percentage in London: 51.3% 2021 census
23
Same-sex couple households: 0.8% in England 2021
24
Households with 3+ dependent children: 2.1% 2021 census
25
Male life expectancy at 65: 18.9 years England 2020-22
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Migration and Projections16 stats
01
Net migration to England: 148,000 in year ending June 2022
02
International migrants: 10.0 million in England mid-2021
03
EU-born residents: 3.7 million or 6.6% in 2021 census England
04
Non-EU born: 5.8 million in England 2021 census
05
Internal migration within England: 2.6 million moves in 2021
06
Emigration from England: 432,000 in year to June 2022
07
Immigration to England: 1.1 million long-term in 2022 estimates
08
Population projection for 2043: 64.4 million in England
09
Zero migration scenario projection: 59.2 million by 2043 England
10
Main reason for migration: work at 29% of inflows 2022
11
Asylum seekers granted status: 67,337 in year to 2022 England
12
Student migrants: 42% of non-EU visas issued 2022
13
Net long-term migration: 272,000 year ending Dec 2022
14
England's population forecast 2026: 57.9 million under principal projection
15
High migration scenario 2043: 68.7 million England population
16
England's net international migration contribution to growth: 71% 2011-2021
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Total Population and Density26 stats
01
England's total population in the 2021 Census was 56,489,800 people
02
England's population density in 2021 was 434 people per square kilometre
03
Greater London holds 28.8% of England's total population at 8,799,800 in 2021
04
England's land area is 130,279 square kilometres supporting 56.5 million residents
05
South East England had a population of 9,264,400 in mid-2021
06
North West England's population reached 7,417,300 in 2021 census
07
England's urban population percentage is 84.4% as of 2023 estimates
08
Population growth rate in England from 2011-2021 was 6.6%
09
England's population in 1801 was 8.3 million
10
West Midlands region population: 5,934,400 in mid-2021
11
East of England population stood at 6,236,700 in 2021
12
South West England had 5,624,700 residents in mid-2021
13
Yorkshire and the Humber population: 5,480,000 in 2021
14
East Midlands population: 4,862,200 in mid-2021
15
North East England population: 2,669,800 in 2021 census
16
England's population projection for 2036 is 61.9 million
17
Rural population in England constitutes 15.6% or about 8.8 million in 2021
18
England's population in 1951 was 41.2 million
19
Population density in London: 5,640 per sq km in 2021
20
England's projected population density 2036: 475 per sq km
21
Northeast Somerset density: 260 per sq km mid-2021
22
England's total population mid-2020 was 56,286,961
23
England's urban areas house 90% of population across 17 million in conurbations
24
Population of Manchester urban area: 2,820,000 in 2021
25
Birmingham urban area population: 2,564,000 in 2021 census
26
Liverpool urban area: 864,000 residents mid-2021
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). England Population Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/england-population-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "England Population Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/england-population-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "England Population Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/england-population-statistics.
Sources & references
8 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level