# People and census in Leicester The south of the East Midlands. 383,116 people (mid-2025 estimate) in 73 square kilometres. 24 layers about people and census for Leicester, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source. In: [East Midlands](https://openindex.co.uk/east-midlands) ## What is the population of Leicester? Leicester had 368,571 usual residents at the census. Leicester is the 24th most populated of 361 in the UK. ## Population Leicester: **368,571** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Leicester had 368,571 usual residents at the census. Leicester is the 24th most populated of 361 in the UK. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-population ## Population estimate Leicester: **383,116** (2025, council level). Source: ONS population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Leicester’s population was an estimated 383,116 in mid-2025. The population fell 0.9% in the year to mid-2025. Leicester is 24th most populated of 361 for population. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-estimate?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-estimate) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-estimate/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-population-estimate ## Aged 15 to 64 Leicester: **68.5%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 68.5% of residents in Leicester were aged 15 to 64 at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 63.6%. - Against East Midlands: 8% higher (63.6%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-15-to-64?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-15-to-64) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-15-to-64/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-age-15-to-64 ## Aged 65 and over Leicester: **11.8%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 11.8% of residents in Leicester were aged 65 or over at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 19.5%. - Against East Midlands: 39% lower (19.5%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-65-and-over?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-65-and-over) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-65-and-over/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-age-65-and-over ## Aged under 15 Leicester: **19.7%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 19.7% of residents in Leicester were aged under 15 at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 16.9%. - Against East Midlands: 17% higher (16.9%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-under-15?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-under-15) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-under-15/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-age-under-15 ## Born outside the UK Leicester: **41.1%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 41.1% of residents in Leicester were born outside the UK. In East Midlands the figure is 13.7%. - Against East Midlands: 3 times (13.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/born-outside-uk?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/born-outside-uk) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/born-outside-uk/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-born-outside-uk ## Disability Leicester: **15.5%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 15.5% of residents in Leicester 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: 15% lower (18.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/disability?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/disability) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/disability/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-disability ## Good or very good health Leicester: **82.2%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 82.2% of residents in Leicester said their health was good or very good. In East Midlands the figure is 81.1%. - Against East Midlands: 1% higher (81.1%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/good-health?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/good-health) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/good-health/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-good-health ## Households Leicester: **127,387** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Leicester had 127,387 households at the census. Leicester is 45th highest of 361 for the number of households. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/households?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/households) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/households/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-households ## Households without a car or van Leicester: **33.0%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 33.0% of households in Leicester had no car or van at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 19.1%. - Against East Midlands: 1.7 times (19.1%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/no-car-or-van?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/no-car-or-van) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/no-car-or-van/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-no-car-or-van ## Owner-occupied homes Leicester: **47.2%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 47.2% of households in Leicester owned their home at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 66.3%. - Against East Midlands: 29% lower (66.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/owner-occupied?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/owner-occupied) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/owner-occupied/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-owner-occupied ## Population density Leicester: **5,026 per km²** (2021, council level). Source: Worked out by Open Index from census population counts and the area of each place. Published 21 July 2026. Leicester had 5,026 people per square kilometre at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 312 per km². - Against East Midlands: 16 times (312 per km²) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-density?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-density) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-density/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-population-density ## Private rented homes Leicester: **29.4%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 29.4% of households in Leicester rented privately at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 18.7%. - Against East Midlands: 1.6 times (18.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/private-rented?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/private-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/private-rented/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-private-rented ## Social rented homes Leicester: **23.2%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 23.2% of households in Leicester rented from a council or housing association at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 14.9%. - Against East Midlands: 1.6 times (14.9%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/social-rented?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/social-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/social-rented/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-social-rented ## Degree-level qualifications Leicester: **26.8%** (2021, council level, England, Wales and Northern Ireland only). Source: ONS Census 2021 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 26.8% of residents aged 16 and over in Leicester had a degree-level qualification at the census. In East Midlands the figure is 29.1%. - Against East Midlands: 8% lower (29.1%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/degree-level-qualifications?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/degree-level-qualifications) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/degree-level-qualifications/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-degree-level-qualifications ## Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh Leicester: **43.4%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 43.4% of residents in Leicester identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group. In East Midlands the figure is 8.0%. - Against East Midlands: 5.4 times (8.0%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-asian?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-asian) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-asian/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-ethnic-group-asian ## Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African Leicester: **7.8%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 7.8% of residents in Leicester identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group. In East Midlands the figure is 2.7%. - Against East Midlands: 2.9 times (2.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-black?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-black) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-black/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-ethnic-group-black ## Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups Leicester: **3.8%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 3.8% of residents in Leicester identified with a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group. In East Midlands the figure is 2.4%. - Against East Midlands: 1.6 times (2.4%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-mixed?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-mixed) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-mixed/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-ethnic-group-mixed ## Other ethnic group Leicester: **4.1%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 4.1% of residents in Leicester identified with another ethnic group, including Arab. In East Midlands the figure is 1.3%. - Against East Midlands: 3.2 times (1.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-other?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-other) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-other/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-ethnic-group-other ## White ethnic groups Leicester: **40.9%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 40.9% of residents in Leicester identified with a White ethnic group. In East Midlands the figure is 85.7%. - Against East Midlands: 52% lower (85.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-white?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-white) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-white/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-ethnic-group-white ## Christian Leicester: **24.7%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 24.7% of residents in Leicester said they were Christian. In East Midlands the figure is 45.4%. - Against East Midlands: 46% lower (45.4%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/christian?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/christian) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/christian/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-religion-christian ## No religion Leicester: **23.0%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 23.0% of residents in Leicester said they had no religion. In East Midlands the figure is 40.0%. - Against East Midlands: 43% lower (40.0%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/no-religion?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/no-religion) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/no-religion/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-religion-none ## Working mainly from home Leicester: **19.1%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 19.1% of working residents in Leicester worked mainly from home in March 2021. In East Midlands the figure is 25.8%. - Against East Midlands: 26% lower (25.8%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/work-from-home?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/work-from-home) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/work-from-home/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-work-from-home ## Annual population change Leicester: **−0.9%** (2025, council level). Source: Worked out by Open Index from the mid-year population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Leicester’s estimated population changed by −0.9% in the year to mid-2025. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-change?place=E06000016) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-change) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-change/east-midlands) · https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-population-estimate-change-1y ## More on this place - [Overview](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester) - [Housing](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/housing) (17) - [Crime](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/crime) (13) - [Deprivation](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/deprivation) (8) - [Health](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/health) (4) - [Education](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/education) (2) - [Environment](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/environment) (9) - [Transport](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/transport) (4) - [Connectivity](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/connectivity) (5) - [Planning](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/planning) (3) - [Economy](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/economy) (4) - [Council tax](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/council-tax) (10) - [Elections](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/elections) (7) - [Local services](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/services) (3) - [Sources](https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/sources) (28) The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/E06000016/data?family=people ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people#l-population. Open Index's own text and the figures it works out are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source data keeps its publishers' licences, named with each figure. Give each figure's period and source with it. Snapshot 2026.10.8. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/leicester/people