Census 2021: London boroughs see biggest rises and falls in population

ommuters walk across London Bridge, in central London
Commuters walk across London Bridge

London boroughs recorded both the biggest rises and falls in population in the last decade according to the 2021 census for England and Wales.

The census, which takes place across the UK every 10 years, provides the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in the country.

Data shows Tower Hamlets in east London saw the biggest population rise up 22.1%, followed by Dartford (20.0%) and Barking & Dagenham (17.7%).

The biggest population fall was in Kensington & Chelsea (down 9.6%), followed by Westminster (6.9%).

Overall south-east England was the most populated region with 9,278,100 people, followed by London (8,799,800).

East London also recorded the fewest number of older people aged 65 and over living there - Tower Hamlets recorded 5.6%, followed by Newham at 7.1% and Hackney with 7.9%.

'The Covid effect'

The Office for National Statistics said: "Population change in certain areas may reflect how the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affected people’s choice of usual residence on census day. "These changes might have been temporary for some and more long-lasting for others."

Data from the 2021 census for England and Wales will be published in stages over the next two years, the ONS said.

Future releases will include figures on ethnicity, religion, the labour market, education and housing plus – for the first time – information on UK armed forces veterans, sexual orientation and gender identity.

London population changes - full list by borough

The list reads, from left to right: name of local authority; population in 2011; population in 2021; percentage change.

  • Barking and Dagenham 185,911 218,900 17.7%

  • Barnet 356,386 389,300 9.2%

  • Bexley 231,997 246,500 6.3%

  • Brent 311,215 339,800 9.2%

  • Bromley 309,392 330,000 6.7%

  • Camden 220,338 210,100 -4.6%

  • City of London 7,375 8,600 16.6%

  • Croydon 363,378 390,800 7.5%

  • Ealing 338,449 367,100 8.5%

  • Enfield 312,466 330,000 5.6%

  • Greenwich 254,557 289,100 13.6%

  • Hackney 246,270 259,200 5.3%

  • Hammersmith and Fulham 182,493 183,200 0.4%

  • Haringey 254,926 264,200 3.6%

  • Harrow 239,056 261,300 9.3%

  • Havering 237,232 262,000 10.4%

  • Hillingdon 273,936 305,900 11.7%

  • Hounslow 253,957 288,200 13.5%

  • Islington 206,125 216,600 5.1%

  • Kensington and Chelsea 158,649 143,400 -9.6%

  • Kingston upon Thames 160,060 168,000 5.0%

  • Lambeth 303,086 317,600 4.8%

  • Lewisham 275,885 300,600 9.0%

  • Merton 199,693 215,200 7.8%

  • Newham 307,984 351,100 14.0%

  • Redbridge 278,970 310,300 11.2%

  • Richmond upon Thames 186,990 195,200 4.4%

  • Southwark 288,283 307,700 6.7%

  • Sutton 190,146 209,600 10.2%

  • Tower Hamlets 254,096 310,300 22.1%

  • Waltham Forest 258,249 278,400 7.8%

  • Wandsworth 306,995 327,500 6.7%

  • Westminster 219,396 204,300 -6.9%

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