How many people live in Birmingham? Population count for UK city as eight billionth human born

The first results of the 2021 census are in – and they show Birmingham has seen its population swell over the last decade.

The census takes place every 10 years, with every household in the UK required to take part. The latest snapshot of England and Wales was captured on March 21 2021.

Now the first results have been released – and there’s been a rise in the number of people living in the city of Birmingham.

On census day, 1,144,900 people were living in the area – up 7% from 1,073,045 in 2011, when the last census was carried out. This also means the population density has grown to 4,275 usual residents per square kilometre, up from 4,007 in 2011.

The census is crucial for the UK’s statisticians to understand how our population is changing, and plays a vital role in how our public services and government operate.

How many men and women live in the city?

It shows the balance of men and women in the area has changed – Birmingham’s population is now 49% male and 51% female, meaning there is now a higher proportion of women in the area than 10 years ago.

In 2011, people living in Birmingham were 49.2% male and 50.8% female. It also shows the area is aging – a decade ago the population was made up of 14.6% under-10s and 12.9% over-65s, but this had changed to 13.7% and 13.1% respectively by 2021.

Across England and Wales, the total population grew 6.3% over the past decade, from 56,075,912 in 2011 to 59,597,300 last year. This included a 6.2% increase in the West Midlands, where the population rose to 5,950,800 from 5,601,847 in 2011.

There were 24.8 million households in England and Wales on census day 2021, up from 23.4 million in 2011, with an average of 2.4 people in each household – the same as in 2011.

Historic populations of Birmingham:

• 1981: 996,369
• 1991: 961,041
• 2001: 977,094
• 2011: 1,073,045
• 2021: 1,144,900

Historic populations of the West Midlands:

• 1981: 5,098,609
• 1991: 5,150,187
• 2001: 5,267,308
• 2011: 5,601,847
• 2021: 5,950,800