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Worcestershire Counts — Worcestershire, in numbers.Local help →

Worcestershire, in numbers

People and living standards

Worcestershire County Council area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Worcestershire County Council area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 512,353 in 1991 to 624,209 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Worcestershire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 528,836 people in 1996; 624,209 people in 2025. 18% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991512,353
1992516,426
1993520,125
1994523,975
1995526,743
1996528,836
1997532,702
1998535,342
1999537,379
2000539,613
2001542,233
2002544,474
2003547,271
2004548,660
2005551,332
2006554,700
2007558,035
2008560,790
2009562,296
2010564,080
2011566,557
2012570,119
2013573,870
2014578,732
2015582,465
2016587,962
2017592,040
2018594,992
2019598,250
2020599,819
2021604,902
2022609,487
2023615,797
2024620,714
2025624,209
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Worcestershire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 105,771 people in 1996; 103,900 people in 2025. 1.8% lower between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991104,432
1992105,118
1993105,724
1994106,504
1995106,318
1996105,771
1997105,894
1998106,370
1999106,740
2000106,426
2001105,533
2002105,224
2003105,062
2004104,690
2005104,341
2006103,569
2007102,847
2008102,280
2009101,586
2010100,689
2011100,456
2012100,859
2013101,247
2014101,401
2015101,948
2016102,960
2017103,802
2018104,309
2019104,865
2020104,350
2021104,045
2022104,808
2023104,856
2024104,647
2025103,900
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Worcestershire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 338,447 people in 1996; 371,590 people in 2025. 9.8% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991328,217
1992330,452
1993332,542
1994334,676
1995336,650
1996338,447
1997341,148
1998342,476
1999343,402
2000345,081
2001347,271
2002348,462
2003349,788
2004350,057
2005351,683
2006354,616
2007356,750
2008357,629
2009356,633
2010356,115
2011355,931
2012354,600
2013354,333
2014355,165
2015355,336
2016357,014
2017357,796
2018357,917
2019357,926
2020358,534
2021361,908
2022363,417
2023367,541
2024370,089
2025371,590
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Worcestershire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 84,618 people in 1996; 148,719 people in 2025. 75.8% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199179,704
199280,856
199381,859
199482,795
199583,775
199684,618
199785,660
199886,496
199987,237
200088,106
200189,429
200290,788
200392,421
200493,913
200595,308
200696,515
200798,438
2008100,881
2009104,077
2010107,276
2011110,170
2012114,660
2013118,290
2014122,166
2015125,181
2016127,988
2017130,442
2018132,766
2019135,459
2020136,935
2021138,949
2022141,262
2023143,400
2024145,978
2025148,719
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2021 census · 603,676 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Worcestershire · 2021
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh18,5113.1%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African4,1510.7%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups11,1731.9%
White566,48493.8%
Other ethnic group3,3570.6%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 566,169 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Worcestershire · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White542,05895.7%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups7,0451.2%
Asian/Asian British13,7412.4%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British2,3720.4%
Other ethnic group9530.2%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2001 census · 542,107 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Worcestershire · 2001
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White528,77997.5%
Mixed3,7950.7%
Asian/Asian British5,9821.1%
Black/Black British1,6380.3%
Chinese/Other1,9130.4%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 2% below the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Worcestershire council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £10,884.13 per person in 1997; £25,445.8 per person in 2024. 133.8% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Calculated for the county from the complete exact published district-code set: sum Table1 income totals and Table2 resident populations, then divide total pounds by population. This is a UK Facts calculation, not a directly published ONS county figure. It does not average district rates. All years use the same published district rows, not reconstructed historical councils. Source totals are rounded to £million, so derived per-person amounts have additional rounding uncertainty.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
199710,884.13
199811,402.06
199911,710.54
200012,036.4
200112,538.89
200212,878.48
200313,159.84
200413,895.67
200514,457.71
200615,262.3
200715,387.92
200815,717.11
200916,012.92
201015,928.59
201116,143.12
201216,563.21
201317,253.04
201417,873.56
201518,916.16
201619,278.46
201719,611.85
201820,408.68
201920,976.18
202020,974.66
202121,590.27
202222,472.17
202323,996.97
202425,445.8
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Worcestershire council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: 2.58% in 1997; -2% in 2024. 4.58 percentage points lower.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Calculated for the county from the complete exact published district-code set: sum Table1 income totals and Table2 resident populations, then divide total pounds by population. This is a UK Facts calculation, not a directly published ONS county figure. It does not average district rates. All years use the same published district rows, not reconstructed historical councils. Source totals are rounded to £million, so derived per-person amounts have additional rounding uncertainty. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Worcestershire council area: full reviewed history
Period%
19972.58
19985.31
19993.52
20001.12
20011.36
20021.79
20030.96
20042.38
20052.84
20064.22
20070.28
2008-0.2
20090.01
2010-1.38
2011-0.93
2012-1.93
2013-1.5
2014-1.16
2015-0.57
20160.11
2017-0.45
2018-0.01
2019-0.45
2020-0.07
2021-1.16
2022-2.14
2023-1.86
2024-2
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults in work

57.4%

21 March 2021 · Worcestershire County Council area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

Source →

Households facing several disadvantages

16.1%

21 March 2021 · Worcestershire County Council area

Show the workings

All households

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Adults with no qualifications

18%

21 March 2021 · Worcestershire County Council area

Show the workings

Residents aged 16 and over

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

5%

21 March 2021 · Worcestershire County Council area

Show the workings

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Average home price

£287,000

July 2026 · Worcestershire County Council area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.