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People and census in Boston

District

The east of the East Midlands. 72,092 people in 364 square kilometres.

24 layers about people and census for Boston, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source.

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Population by output area

Census 2021, England and Wales

Under 129379 or more

Boston’s 212 output areas range from 105 to 624.

What is the population of Boston?

Boston had 70,502 usual residents at the census.

Boston is the 19th least populated of 361 in the UK.

Population

Council
70,502
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Boston had 70,502 usual residents at the census.

Boston is the 19th least populated of 361 in the UK.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population: Boston among every council361 areas from 2,053 to 1,144,919. The middle area is 143,926. Boston is 70,502.

Population estimate

Council
72,092
ONS population estimates · 2025

Boston’s population was an estimated 72,092 in mid-2025.

The population fell 0.3% in the year to mid-2025.

Boston is 20th least populated of 361 for population.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population estimate: Boston among every council361 areas from 2,299 to 1,176,960. The middle area is 148,772. Boston is 72,092.

Aged 15 to 64

Council
62.4%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

62.4% of residents in Boston were aged 15 to 64 at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 63.6%.

Against East Midlands
2% lower63.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 15 to 64: Boston among every council361 areas from 53.9% to 79.6%. The middle area is 62.8%. Boston is 62.4%.

Aged 65 and over

Council
20.4%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

20.4% of residents in Boston were aged 65 or over at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 19.5%.

Against East Midlands
5% higher19.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 65 and over: Boston among every council361 areas from 5.6% to 33.5%. The middle area is 19.7%. Boston is 20.4%.

Aged under 15

Council
17.2%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

17.2% of residents in Boston were aged under 15 at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 16.9%.

Against East Midlands
2% higher16.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged under 15: Boston among every council361 areas from 6.4% to 24.6%. The middle area is 16.9%. Boston is 17.2%.

Born outside the UK

Council
23.6%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

23.6% of residents in Boston were born outside the UK.

In East Midlands the figure is 13.7%.

Against East Midlands
1.7 times13.7%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Born outside the UK: Boston among every council361 areas from 2.6% to 56.1%. The middle area is 9.9%. Boston is 23.6%.

Disability

Council
17.8%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

17.8% of residents in Boston had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In East Midlands the figure is 18.3%.

Against East Midlands
3% lower18.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Disability: Boston among every council361 areas from 10.7% to 29.3%. The middle area is 18.5%. Boston is 17.8%.

Good or very good health

Council
79.2%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

79.2% of residents in Boston said their health was good or very good.

In East Midlands the figure is 81.1%.

Against East Midlands
2% lower81.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Good or very good health: Boston among every council361 areas from 73.6% to 89.3%. The middle area is 81.7%. Boston is 79.2%.

Households

Council
29,404
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Boston had 29,404 households at the census.

Boston is 16th lowest of 361 for the number of households.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households: Boston among every council361 areas from 942 to 423,456. The middle area is 60,932. Boston is 29,404.

Households without a car or van

Council
19.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

19.5% of households in Boston had no car or van at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 19.1%.

Against East Midlands
2% higher19.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households without a car or van: Boston among every council361 areas from 7.8% to 77.2%. The middle area is 18.6%. Boston is 19.5%.

Owner-occupied homes

Council
60.1%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

60.1% of households in Boston owned their home at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 66.3%.

Against East Midlands
9% lower66.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Owner-occupied homes: Boston among every council361 areas from 25.7% to 82.6%. The middle area is 67.3%. Boston is 60.1%.

Population density

Council
194 per km²
Worked out by Open Index · 2021

Boston had 194 people per square kilometre at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 312 per km².

Worked out by Open Index from census population counts and the area of each place.

Against East Midlands
38% lower312 per km²
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population density: Boston among every council361 areas from 8 per km² to 15,696 per km². The middle area is 568 per km². Boston is 194 per km².

Private rented homes

Council
20.3%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

20.3% of households in Boston rented privately at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 18.7%.

Against East Midlands
9% higher18.7%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Private rented homes: Boston among every council361 areas from 5.7% to 48.3%. The middle area is 17.3%. Boston is 20.3%.

Social rented homes

Council
19.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

19.5% of households in Boston rented from a council or housing association at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 14.9%.

Against East Midlands
31% higher14.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Social rented homes: Boston among every council361 areas from 5.5% to 40.5%. The middle area is 14.6%. Boston is 19.5%.

Degree-level qualifications

CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland only
19.0%
ONS Census 2021 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

19.0% of residents aged 16 and over in Boston had a degree-level qualification at the census.

In East Midlands the figure is 29.1%.

Against East Midlands
35% lower29.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Degree-level qualifications: Boston among every council329 areas from 18.2% to 74.2%. The middle area is 31.8%. Boston is 19.0%.

Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh

CouncilEngland and Wales only
2.0%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

2.0% of residents in Boston identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group.

In East Midlands the figure is 8.0%.

Against East Midlands
75% lower8.0%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh: Boston among every council318 areas from 0.3% to 47.3%. The middle area is 3.6%. Boston is 2.0%.

Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African

CouncilEngland and Wales only
0.7%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

0.7% of residents in Boston identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group.

In East Midlands the figure is 2.7%.

Against East Midlands
74% lower2.7%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African: Boston among every council318 areas from 0.1% to 26.8%. The middle area is 1.1%. Boston is 0.7%.

Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
1.4%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

1.4% of residents in Boston identified with a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group.

In East Midlands the figure is 2.4%.

Against East Midlands
42% lower2.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups: Boston among every council318 areas from 0.7% to 8.1%. The middle area is 2.2%. Boston is 1.4%.

Other ethnic group

CouncilEngland and Wales only
1.2%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

1.2% of residents in Boston identified with another ethnic group, including Arab.

In East Midlands the figure is 1.3%.

Against East Midlands
8% lower1.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Other ethnic group: Boston among every council318 areas from 0.2% to 13.5%. The middle area is 0.9%. Boston is 1.2%.

White ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
94.7%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

94.7% of residents in Boston identified with a White ethnic group.

In East Midlands the figure is 85.7%.

Against East Midlands
11% higher85.7%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
White ethnic groups: Boston among every council318 areas from 30.8% to 98.2%. The middle area is 92.2%. Boston is 94.7%.

Christian

CouncilEngland and Wales only
59.8%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

59.8% of residents in Boston said they were Christian.

In East Midlands the figure is 45.4%.

Against East Midlands
32% higher45.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Christian: Boston among every council318 areas from 22.3% to 66.6%. The middle area is 47.9%. Boston is 59.8%.

No religion

CouncilEngland and Wales only
31.3%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

31.3% of residents in Boston said they had no religion.

In East Midlands the figure is 40.0%.

Against East Midlands
22% lower40.0%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
No religion: Boston among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 56.7%. The middle area is 39.9%. Boston is 31.3%.

Working mainly from home

CouncilEngland and Wales only
10.6%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

10.6% of working residents in Boston worked mainly from home in March 2021.

In East Midlands the figure is 25.8%.

Against East Midlands
59% lower25.8%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Working mainly from home: Boston among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 67.3%. The middle area is 29.6%. Boston is 10.6%.

Annual population change

Council
−0.3%
Worked out by Open Index · 2025

Boston’s estimated population changed by −0.3% in the year to mid-2025.

Worked out by Open Index from the mid-year population estimates.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Annual population change: Boston among every council361 areas from −3.5% to 2.4%. The middle area is 0.4%. Boston is −0.3%.