# People and census in Oldham The east of the North West. 251,915 people (mid-2025 estimate) in 142 square kilometres. 24 layers about people and census for Oldham, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source. In: [North West](https://openindex.co.uk/north-west) ## What is the population of Oldham? Oldham had 242,088 usual residents at the census. Oldham is the 85th most populated of 361 in the UK. ## Population Oldham: **242,088** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Oldham had 242,088 usual residents at the census. Oldham is the 85th most populated of 361 in the UK. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-population ## Population estimate Oldham: **251,915** (2025, council level). Source: ONS population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Oldham’s population was an estimated 251,915 in mid-2025. The population rose 0.5% in the year to mid-2025. Oldham is 84th most populated of 361 for population. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-estimate?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-estimate) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-estimate/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-population-estimate ## Aged 15 to 64 Oldham: **62.8%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 62.8% of residents in Oldham were aged 15 to 64 at the census. In North West the figure is 63.7%. - Against North West: 1% lower (63.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-15-to-64?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-15-to-64) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-15-to-64/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-age-15-to-64 ## Aged 65 and over Oldham: **16.0%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 16.0% of residents in Oldham were aged 65 or over at the census. In North West the figure is 18.7%. - Against North West: 14% lower (18.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-65-and-over?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-65-and-over) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-65-and-over/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-age-65-and-over ## Aged under 15 Oldham: **21.3%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 21.3% of residents in Oldham were aged under 15 at the census. In North West the figure is 17.6%. - Against North West: 21% higher (17.6%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-under-15?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-under-15) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-under-15/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-age-under-15 ## Born outside the UK Oldham: **16.6%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 16.6% of residents in Oldham were born outside the UK. In North West the figure is 11.7%. - Against North West: 42% higher (11.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/born-outside-uk?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/born-outside-uk) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/born-outside-uk/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-born-outside-uk ## Disability Oldham: **18.3%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 18.3% of residents in Oldham had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability. In North West the figure is 19.4%. - Against North West: 6% lower (19.4%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/disability?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/disability) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/disability/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-disability ## Good or very good health Oldham: **79.8%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 79.8% of residents in Oldham said their health was good or very good. In North West the figure is 80.4%. - Against North West: 1% lower (80.4%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/good-health?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/good-health) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/good-health/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-good-health ## Households Oldham: **93,140** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Oldham had 93,140 households at the census. Oldham is 96th highest of 361 for the number of households. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/households?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/households) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/households/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-households ## Households without a car or van Oldham: **27.6%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 27.6% of households in Oldham had no car or van at the census. In North West the figure is 24.7%. - Against North West: 12% higher (24.7%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/no-car-or-van?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/no-car-or-van) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/no-car-or-van/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-no-car-or-van ## Owner-occupied homes Oldham: **60.8%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 60.8% of households in Oldham owned their home at the census. In North West the figure is 63.0%. - Against North West: 3% lower (63.0%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/owner-occupied?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/owner-occupied) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/owner-occupied/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-owner-occupied ## Population density Oldham: **1,701 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. Oldham had 1,701 people per square kilometre at the census. In North West the figure is 524 per km². - Against North West: 3.2 times (524 per km²) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-density?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-density) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-density/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-population-density ## Private rented homes Oldham: **17.7%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 17.7% of households in Oldham rented privately at the census. In North West the figure is 19.2%. - Against North West: 8% lower (19.2%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/private-rented?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/private-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/private-rented/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-private-rented ## Social rented homes Oldham: **21.2%** (2021, council level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 21.2% of households in Oldham rented from a council or housing association at the census. In North West the figure is 17.6%. - Against North West: 20% higher (17.6%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/social-rented?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/social-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/social-rented/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-social-rented ## Degree-level qualifications Oldham: **24.6%** (2021, council level, England, Wales and Northern Ireland only). Source: ONS Census 2021 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 24.6% of residents aged 16 and over in Oldham had a degree-level qualification at the census. In North West the figure is 31.2%. - Against North West: 21% lower (31.2%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/degree-level-qualifications?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/degree-level-qualifications) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/degree-level-qualifications/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-degree-level-qualifications ## Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh Oldham: **24.6%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 24.6% of residents in Oldham identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group. In North West the figure is 8.4%. - Against North West: 2.9 times (8.4%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-asian?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-asian) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-asian/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-ethnic-group-asian ## Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African Oldham: **3.4%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 3.4% of residents in Oldham identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group. In North West the figure is 2.3%. - Against North West: 48% higher (2.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-black?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-black) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-black/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-ethnic-group-black ## Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups Oldham: **2.5%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 2.5% of residents in Oldham identified with a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group. In North West the figure is 2.2%. - Against North West: 14% higher (2.2%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-mixed?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-mixed) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-mixed/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-ethnic-group-mixed ## Other ethnic group Oldham: **1.4%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 1.4% of residents in Oldham identified with another ethnic group, including Arab. In North West the figure is 1.5%. - Against North West: 7% lower (1.5%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-other?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-other) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-other/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-ethnic-group-other ## White ethnic groups Oldham: **68.1%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 68.1% of residents in Oldham identified with a White ethnic group. In North West the figure is 85.6%. - Against North West: 20% lower (85.6%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/ethnic-group-white?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/ethnic-group-white) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/ethnic-group-white/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-ethnic-group-white ## Christian Oldham: **44.9%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 44.9% of residents in Oldham said they were Christian. In North West the figure is 52.5%. - Against North West: 14% lower (52.5%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/christian?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/christian) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/christian/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-religion-christian ## No religion Oldham: **25.0%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 25.0% of residents in Oldham said they had no religion. In North West the figure is 32.6%. - Against North West: 23% lower (32.6%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/no-religion?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/no-religion) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/no-religion/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-religion-none ## Working mainly from home Oldham: **21.3%** (2021, council level, England and Wales only). Source: ONS Census 2021. Published 19 January 2023. 21.3% of working residents in Oldham worked mainly from home in March 2021. In North West the figure is 27.3%. - Against North West: 22% lower (27.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/work-from-home?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/work-from-home) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/work-from-home/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-work-from-home ## Annual population change Oldham: **0.5%** (2025, council level). Source: Worked out by Open Index from the mid-year population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Oldham’s estimated population changed by 0.5% in the year to mid-2025. - Against North West: 29% lower (0.7%) - Against the UK: 1.7 times (0.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-change?place=E08000004) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-change) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-change/north-west) · https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people#l-population-estimate-change-1y ## More on this place - [Overview](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham) - [Housing](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/housing) (17) - [Crime](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/crime) (1) - [Deprivation](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/deprivation) (8) - [Health](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/health) (4) - [Education](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/education) (2) - [Environment](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/environment) (9) - [Transport](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/transport) (4) - [Connectivity](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/connectivity) (5) - [Planning](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/planning) (3) - [Economy](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/economy) (4) - [Council tax](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/council-tax) (10) - [Elections](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/elections) (7) - [Local services](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/services) (3) - [Sources](https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/sources) (28) The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/E08000004/data?family=people ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/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 2026.10.9. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/oldham/people