Census 2021 Results: London

London at a Glance

The 2021 Census counted 8,799,800 usual residents in London, up from 8.17 million in 2011 — a growth of 7.7%, slightly above the national average of 6.3%. London remains the largest region in England and Wales by a significant margin; the next largest, the South East, recorded 9.3 million but across a far greater land area.

London is divided into 33 local authority districts: the City of London and 32 London boroughs. The population ranges from approximately 8,600 in the City of London (primarily a business district) to 397,000 in Barnet (the most populous borough).

Indicator	London	England & Wales
Total population	8,799,800	56,489,800
Population growth (2011–21)	+7.7%	+6.3%
Median age	35	40
Born outside UK	40.6%	17.4%
White British	36.8%	74.4%
Degree or higher (age 16+)	46.9%	33.8%
Private renting	29.6%	20.3%

Population Growth by Borough

Not all of London grew at the same rate. The fastest-growing boroughs were in east London, driven by major regeneration programmes and new housing developments:

Fastest Growing (2011–2021)

1. Tower Hamlets — +22.1% (from 254,100 to 310,300). The single fastest-growing local authority in England and Wales. Canary Wharf, Stratford Olympic legacy development, and new high-rise residential construction drove this.
2. Newham — +19.2%. Stratford's Olympic Park regeneration continued to attract residents.
3. Hackney — +14.9%. One of London's most significant gentrification stories of the 2010s.
4. Barking and Dagenham — +14.2%. New housing estates on former industrial land.
5. Waltham Forest — +12.3%. Benefiting from the "east London ripple" as housing costs pushed residents further out.

Population Decline

Two boroughs recorded population declines between 2011 and 2021:

• Westminster — -6.5%. The steepest decline, likely driven by COVID-19's impact on short-term residents, students, and international workers who left during the pandemic and had not returned by Census Day.
• Camden — -1.7%. Similar factors — high student and international population affected by COVID-19 disruption.

Age Structure

London has the youngest age profile of any English region:

• Median age: 35 (compared to 40 nationally)
• Under 15: 18.8% of the population
• Working age (16–64): 69.4% — the highest of any region
• 65 and over: 11.8% — the lowest of any region

The working-age dominance reflects London's role as an economic migration destination. People move to London for work in their 20s and 30s, then many leave for more affordable regions when starting families or approaching retirement. This "escalator" effect has been documented by demographers for decades.

Borough-Level Variation

• Youngest: Tower Hamlets (median age 30), Hackney (33), Newham (31)
• Oldest: Havering (median age 41), Bromley (40), Sutton (38)

The east London boroughs with the youngest populations are also those with the highest proportions of working-age international migrants. The outer suburban boroughs in south-east and north-east London have age profiles closer to the national average.

Ethnic Diversity

The 2021 Census confirmed London as the most ethnically diverse region in England and Wales. For the first time, the White British group was a minority at 36.8% of London's population (down from 44.9% in 2011).

Ethnic Group	London %	England & Wales %
White: English/Welsh/Scottish/NI/British	36.8%	74.4%
White: Other	14.8%	6.2%
Asian or Asian British: Indian	7.5%	3.1%
Black or Black British: African	7.9%	2.5%
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi	3.9%	1.1%
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani	3.3%	2.7%
Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups	5.7%	3.0%
Black or Black British: Caribbean	3.5%	1.0%

Most Diverse Boroughs

• Newham — the most ethnically diverse borough in England. No single ethnic group exceeds 25%. The largest groups are Asian (36.1%), Black (19.2%), and White British (16.7%).
• Brent — 26.7% Asian, 19.0% Black, 18.0% White British
• Tower Hamlets — 34.6% Asian (predominantly Bangladeshi), 31.2% White

Least Diverse Boroughs

• Havering — 71.3% White British (the highest in London)
• Bromley — 65.1% White British
• Richmond upon Thames — 62.5% White British

Housing and Tenure

London has a distinct housing tenure profile compared to the rest of England and Wales:

• Owner-occupied (owned outright or with mortgage): 44.0% (vs. 61.3% nationally)
• Social rented: 22.1% (vs. 16.4% nationally)
• Private rented: 29.6% (vs. 20.3% nationally)
• Living rent free: 1.6%

London's home ownership rate is the lowest of any region and has fallen since 2011. The private rented sector has grown significantly, driven by high property prices that price out first-time buyers. Social housing remains a larger proportion than the national average, reflecting London's historic council housing estates — though the absolute stock has been declining through Right to Buy sales.

Overcrowding

London has the highest overcrowding rate in England and Wales. According to the "bedroom standard" measure (which compares the number of bedrooms to the number needed based on household composition):

• 10.7% of London households are overcrowded (vs. 4.8% nationally)
• Newham has the highest overcrowding rate at 26.3%
• Tower Hamlets at 22.8%
• Brent at 20.0%

Overcrowding disproportionately affects the private rented sector and is concentrated in inner east London boroughs with large immigrant populations and high housing costs.

Economy and Qualifications

London's workforce is the most highly qualified in England and Wales:

• 46.9% of London residents aged 16+ hold a degree or equivalent (Level 4+), compared to 33.8% nationally
• 7.4% have no qualifications (vs. 18.2% nationally)

However, this masks significant inequality. In Tower Hamlets, 57% of residents have a degree but 12% have no qualifications — reflecting the borough's extreme socioeconomic polarisation.

Economic Activity

• 75.2% of London's working-age population was economically active (employed or seeking work)
• 4.3% were unemployed (vs. 3.5% nationally)
• 20.5% were economically inactive (students, carers, long-term sick, retired)

London's unemployment rate was higher than the national average in the 2021 Census, partly reflecting the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on London's hospitality, retail, and transport sectors.

Health

London residents reported generally better health than the national average:

• 53.3% reported "very good" health (vs. 48.5% nationally)
• 4.0% reported "bad" or "very bad" health (vs. 5.3% nationally)

This is partly an age effect — London's young population profile means fewer people in the age groups where poor health is more common. It also reflects the "healthy migrant effect": international migrants tend to be healthier than the settled population on arrival.

However, disability rates are rising. 14.3% of London residents reported being disabled under the Equality Act definition, and this was significantly higher in deprived boroughs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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