Listz area intelligence

Population age profiles by council

Name: England and Wales council population age-profile rankings
Creator: Listz
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

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: Young adults aged 18–24

Highest values for Young adults aged 18–24
Rank	Council area	Nation	Current share	2025 cohort	2025 share	2021 cohort	People change
1	Oxford	England	21.2%	35,169	21.2%	31,086	+4,083
2	Nottingham	England	21.0%	68,474	21.0%	61,553	+6,921
3	Exeter	England	20.1%	27,699	20.1%	23,141	+4,558
4	Cambridge	England	19.7%	29,480	19.7%	26,960	+2,520
5	Newcastle upon Tyne	England	18.6%	59,628	18.6%	49,055	+10,573
6	Manchester	England	17.5%	102,797	17.5%	82,233	+20,564
7	Lincoln	England	17.4%	17,936	17.4%	18,064	-128
8	York	England	16.9%	35,387	16.9%	28,447	+6,940
9	Bath and North East Somerset	England	16.3%	32,670	16.3%	26,036	+6,634
10	Camden	England	16.2%	35,102	16.2%	27,660	+7,442
11	Liverpool	England	15.6%	79,395	15.6%	66,627	+12,768
12	Norwich	England	15.5%	22,589	15.5%	22,156	+433
13	Southampton	England	15.4%	39,940	15.4%	34,031	+5,909
14	Bristol, City of	England	15.3%	75,693	15.3%	62,103	+13,590
15	Cardiff	Wales	15.2%	58,009	15.2%	49,406	+8,603
16	Lancaster	England	14.5%	21,043	14.5%	18,360	+2,683
17	Leicester	England	14.4%	55,168	14.4%	48,270	+6,898
18	Brighton and Hove	England	14.3%	40,698	14.3%	36,367	+4,331
19	Tower Hamlets	England	14.2%	47,609	14.2%	40,242	+7,367
20	Charnwood	England	13.7%	26,032	13.7%	22,912	+3,120

Lowest values: Young adults aged 18–24

Lowest values for Young adults aged 18–24
Rank	Council area	Nation	Current share	2025 cohort	2025 share	2021 cohort	People change
1	Derbyshire Dales	England	5.0%	3,567	5.0%	4,093	-526
2	North Norfolk	England	5.0%	5,167	5.0%	5,592	-425
3	Monmouthshire	Wales	5.0%	4,785	5.0%	5,523	-738
4	Rother	England	5.2%	4,953	5.2%	5,323	-370
5	Conwy	Wales	5.2%	5,927	5.2%	7,008	-1,081
6	Stratford-on-Avon	England	5.2%	7,699	5.2%	7,854	-155
7	Horsham	England	5.2%	7,884	5.2%	8,933	-1,049
8	Tunbridge Wells	England	5.2%	6,249	5.2%	7,042	-793
9	Teignbridge	England	5.2%	7,266	5.2%	7,888	-622
10	Powys	Wales	5.3%	7,105	5.3%	8,125	-1,020
11	Elmbridge	England	5.3%	7,505	5.3%	7,629	-124
12	Fylde	England	5.3%	4,578	5.3%	4,565	+13
13	South Norfolk	England	5.3%	7,938	5.3%	8,348	-410
14	East Lindsey	England	5.3%	7,787	5.3%	8,319	-532
15	Torridge	England	5.3%	3,742	5.3%	4,009	-267
16	South Hams	England	5.3%	4,961	5.3%	5,031	-70
17	St Albans	England	5.3%	8,032	5.3%	8,707	-675
18	West Devon	England	5.3%	3,147	5.3%	3,193	-46
19	Isle of Anglesey	Wales	5.4%	3,679	5.4%	4,359	-680
20	New Forest	England	5.4%	9,429	5.4%	10,238	-809

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.

Related comparison

This page compares age groups. For total population change, see population growth by council.

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.