Compare where children, young adults, working-age people and older residents make up the greatest shares—and how those populations changed from 2021 to 2025.
316 councils294 England and 22 Wales
2025 estimatesCurrent population-share basis
2021–2025Population-change period
Age group
Comparison
Population estimates are not exact counts. They may be revised as ONS incorporates improved evidence. Age groups intentionally overlap: school-age residents are within children, and young adults overlap the working-age group.
Highest values: Population aged 65+
Highest values for Population aged 65+
Rank
Council area
Nation
Current share
2025 cohort
2025 share
2021 cohort
People change
1
North Norfolk
England
35.6%
36,957
35.6%
34,770
+2,187
2
Rother
England
33.2%
31,939
33.2%
30,418
+1,521
3
East Lindsey
England
32.2%
47,193
32.2%
43,690
+3,503
4
New Forest
England
31.3%
55,122
31.3%
51,921
+3,201
5
Dorset
England
31.2%
121,959
31.2%
113,047
+8,912
6
Isle of Wight
England
31.0%
43,599
31.0%
41,300
+2,299
7
East Devon
England
30.6%
48,799
30.6%
45,616
+3,183
8
West Devon
England
30.5%
18,008
30.5%
16,409
+1,599
9
Torridge
England
30.4%
21,407
30.4%
19,490
+1,917
10
Derbyshire Dales
England
29.9%
21,563
29.9%
20,122
+1,441
11
Fylde
England
29.8%
25,844
29.8%
22,828
+3,016
12
Tendring
England
29.7%
47,176
29.7%
44,137
+3,039
13
Powys
Wales
29.6%
39,895
29.6%
37,353
+2,542
14
East Suffolk
England
29.6%
73,963
29.6%
68,791
+5,172
15
Arun
England
29.3%
50,475
29.3%
47,144
+3,331
16
South Hams
England
29.3%
27,278
29.3%
25,238
+2,040
17
Conwy
Wales
29.1%
33,237
29.1%
31,467
+1,770
18
Malvern Hills
England
29.0%
24,476
29.0%
22,469
+2,007
19
Wyre
England
29.0%
34,913
29.0%
31,203
+3,710
20
Cotswold
England
28.3%
25,909
28.3%
23,811
+2,098
Lowest values: Population aged 65+
Lowest values for Population aged 65+
Rank
Council area
Nation
Current share
2025 cohort
2025 share
2021 cohort
People change
1
Tower Hamlets
England
6.1%
20,317
6.1%
17,623
+2,694
2
Newham
England
7.8%
29,303
7.8%
25,491
+3,812
3
Barking and Dagenham
England
8.6%
20,520
8.6%
19,136
+1,384
4
Hackney
England
8.9%
23,716
8.9%
20,730
+2,986
5
Manchester
England
9.6%
56,354
9.6%
52,606
+3,748
6
Southwark
England
9.6%
29,969
9.6%
26,020
+3,949
7
Lambeth
England
10.0%
31,319
10.0%
27,524
+3,795
8
Islington
England
10.0%
22,477
10.0%
20,463
+2,014
9
Slough
England
10.0%
16,780
10.0%
15,417
+1,363
10
Wandsworth
England
10.2%
34,764
10.2%
31,645
+3,119
11
Lewisham
England
10.8%
32,532
10.8%
28,859
+3,673
12
Waltham Forest
England
11.1%
31,338
11.1%
28,597
+2,741
13
Greenwich
England
11.1%
33,428
11.1%
30,470
+2,958
14
Hammersmith and Fulham
England
11.2%
21,378
11.2%
19,115
+2,263
15
Haringey
England
11.7%
31,069
11.7%
27,978
+3,091
16
Luton
England
11.7%
27,710
11.7%
26,444
+1,266
17
Cambridge
England
11.8%
17,732
11.8%
16,747
+985
18
Nottingham
England
12.2%
39,820
12.2%
38,114
+1,706
19
Oxford
England
12.3%
20,409
12.3%
19,155
+1,254
20
Reading
England
12.3%
22,678
12.3%
21,109
+1,569
Methodology and limitations
Current share
The selected age-group population as a percentage of the council's total 2025 population.
Population change
Percentage change in the selected age group between 2021 and 2025. “Lowest” is used because some groups grew everywhere.
Eligibility
Councils require at least 10,000 residents in both years. Change rankings also require at least 500 people in the starting cohort.
Source: Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates via Nomis. Current April 2023 district and unitary authority geography. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.