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People and census in Cardiff

Welsh council

South Wales. 381,516 people (mid-2025 estimate) in 142 square kilometres.

24 layers about people and census for Cardiff, 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

Cardiff’s 1,115 output areas range from 101 to 1,730.

What is the population of Cardiff?

Cardiff had 362,308 usual residents at the census.

Cardiff is the 26th most populated of 361 in the UK.

Population

Council
362,308
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Cardiff had 362,308 usual residents at the census.

Cardiff is the 26th most populated of 361 in the UK.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 2,053 to 1,144,919. The middle area is 143,926. Cardiff is 362,308.

Population estimate

Council
381,516
ONS population estimates · 2025

Cardiff’s population was an estimated 381,516 in mid-2025.

The population fell 0.1% in the year to mid-2025.

Cardiff is 25th most populated of 361 for population.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population estimate: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 2,299 to 1,176,960. The middle area is 148,772. Cardiff is 381,516.

Aged 15 to 64

Council
68.4%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

68.4% of residents in Cardiff were aged 15 to 64 at the census.

In Wales the figure is 62.2%.

Against Wales
10% higher62.2%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 15 to 64: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 53.9% to 79.6%. The middle area is 62.8%. Cardiff is 68.4%.

Aged 65 and over

Council
14.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

14.5% of residents in Cardiff were aged 65 or over at the census.

In Wales the figure is 21.3%.

Against Wales
32% lower21.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 65 and over: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 5.6% to 33.5%. The middle area is 19.7%. Cardiff is 14.5%.

Aged under 15

Council
17.1%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

17.1% of residents in Cardiff were aged under 15 at the census.

In Wales the figure is 16.5%.

Against Wales
4% higher16.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged under 15: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 6.4% to 24.6%. The middle area is 16.9%. Cardiff is 17.1%.

Born outside the UK

Council
16.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

16.5% of residents in Cardiff were born outside the UK.

In Wales the figure is 6.9%.

Against Wales
2.4 times6.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Born outside the UK: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 2.6% to 56.1%. The middle area is 9.9%. Cardiff is 16.5%.

Disability

Council
18.6%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

18.6% of residents in Cardiff had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In Wales the figure is 21.6%.

Against Wales
14% lower21.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Disability: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 10.7% to 29.3%. The middle area is 18.5%. Cardiff is 18.6%.

Good or very good health

Council
81.9%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

81.9% of residents in Cardiff said their health was good or very good.

In Wales the figure is 78.6%.

Against Wales
4% higher78.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Good or very good health: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 73.6% to 89.3%. The middle area is 81.7%. Cardiff is 81.9%.

Households

Council
147,333
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Cardiff had 147,333 households at the census.

Cardiff is 31st highest of 361 for the number of households.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 942 to 423,456. The middle area is 60,932. Cardiff is 147,333.

Households without a car or van

Council
26.0%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

26.0% of households in Cardiff had no car or van at the census.

In Wales the figure is 19.4%.

Against Wales
34% higher19.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households without a car or van: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 7.8% to 77.2%. The middle area is 18.6%. Cardiff is 26.0%.

Owner-occupied homes

Council
58.3%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

58.3% of households in Cardiff owned their home at the census.

In Wales the figure is 66.4%.

Against Wales
12% lower66.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Owner-occupied homes: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 25.7% to 82.6%. The middle area is 67.3%. Cardiff is 58.3%.

Population density

Council
2,546 per km²
Worked out by Open Index · 2021

Cardiff had 2,546 people per square kilometre at the census.

In Wales the figure is 150 per km².

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

Against Wales
17 times150 per km²
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population density: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 8 per km² to 15,696 per km². The middle area is 568 per km². Cardiff is 2,546 per km².

Private rented homes

Council
24.3%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

24.3% of households in Cardiff rented privately at the census.

In Wales the figure is 17.0%.

Against Wales
43% higher17.0%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Private rented homes: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 5.7% to 48.3%. The middle area is 17.3%. Cardiff is 24.3%.

Social rented homes

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

17.2% of households in Cardiff rented from a council or housing association at the census.

In Wales the figure is 16.5%.

Against Wales
4% higher16.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Social rented homes: Cardiff among every council361 areas from 5.5% to 40.5%. The middle area is 14.6%. Cardiff is 17.2%.

Degree-level qualifications

CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland only
40.0%
ONS Census 2021 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

40.0% of residents aged 16 and over in Cardiff had a degree-level qualification at the census.

In Wales the figure is 31.5%.

Against Wales
27% higher31.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Degree-level qualifications: Cardiff among every council329 areas from 18.2% to 74.2%. The middle area is 31.8%. Cardiff is 40.0%.

Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh

CouncilEngland and Wales only
9.7%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

9.7% of residents in Cardiff identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group.

In Wales the figure is 2.9%.

Against Wales
3.3 times2.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 0.3% to 47.3%. The middle area is 3.6%. Cardiff is 9.7%.

Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African

CouncilEngland and Wales only
3.8%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

3.8% of residents in Cardiff identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group.

In Wales the figure is 0.9%.

Against Wales
4.2 times0.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 0.1% to 26.8%. The middle area is 1.1%. Cardiff is 3.8%.

Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
4.0%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

4.0% of residents in Cardiff identified with a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group.

In Wales the figure is 1.6%.

Against Wales
2.5 times1.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 0.7% to 8.1%. The middle area is 2.2%. Cardiff is 4.0%.

Other ethnic group

CouncilEngland and Wales only
3.3%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

3.3% of residents in Cardiff identified with another ethnic group, including Arab.

In Wales the figure is 0.9%.

Against Wales
3.7 times0.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Other ethnic group: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 0.2% to 13.5%. The middle area is 0.9%. Cardiff is 3.3%.

White ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
79.2%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

79.2% of residents in Cardiff identified with a White ethnic group.

In Wales the figure is 93.8%.

Against Wales
16% lower93.8%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
White ethnic groups: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 30.8% to 98.2%. The middle area is 92.2%. Cardiff is 79.2%.

Christian

CouncilEngland and Wales only
38.3%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

38.3% of residents in Cardiff said they were Christian.

In Wales the figure is 43.6%.

Against Wales
12% lower43.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Christian: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 22.3% to 66.6%. The middle area is 47.9%. Cardiff is 38.3%.

No religion

CouncilEngland and Wales only
42.9%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

42.9% of residents in Cardiff said they had no religion.

In Wales the figure is 46.5%.

Against Wales
8% lower46.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
No religion: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 56.7%. The middle area is 39.9%. Cardiff is 42.9%.

Working mainly from home

CouncilEngland and Wales only
36.1%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

36.1% of working residents in Cardiff worked mainly from home in March 2021.

In Wales the figure is 25.6%.

Against Wales
41% higher25.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Working mainly from home: Cardiff among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 67.3%. The middle area is 29.6%. Cardiff is 36.1%.

Annual population change

Council
−0.1%
Worked out by Open Index · 2025

Cardiff’s estimated population changed by −0.1% 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: Cardiff among every council361 areas from −3.5% to 2.4%. The middle area is 0.4%. Cardiff is −0.1%.