Most and least densely populated places in England (2021)

Tower Hamlets was the most densely populated of England’s 296 councils in 2021 (population density 15,696 per km²).

West Devon was the least densely populated (49 per km²). The middle council, St Albans, had 919 per km².

Population density for every council in England, highest first. Councils without a figure are listed last with the reason.
Rank	Council	Region	Value
1	Tower HamletsLondon	London	15,696 per km²
2	IslingtonLondon	London	14,575 per km²
3	HackneyLondon	London	13,611 per km²
4	LambethLondon	London	11,848 per km²
5	Kensington and ChelseaLondon	London	11,820 per km²
6	Hammersmith and FulhamLondon	London	11,168 per km²
7	SouthwarkLondon	London	10,652 per km²
8	NewhamLondon	London	9,697 per km²
9	CamdenLondon	London	9,648 per km²
10	WandsworthLondon	London	9,559 per km²
11	WestminsterLondon	London	9,508 per km²
12	HaringeyLondon	London	8,924 per km²
13	LewishamLondon	London	8,551 per km²
14	BrentLondon	London	7,859 per km²
15	Waltham ForestLondon	London	7,174 per km²
16	EalingLondon	London	6,610 per km²
17	GreenwichLondon	London	6,110 per km²
18	Barking and DagenhamLondon	London	6,063 per km²
19	MertonLondon	London	5,720 per km²
20	RedbridgeLondon	London	5,501 per km²
21	LutonEast of England	East of England	5,196 per km²
22	HarrowLondon	London	5,176 per km²
23	PortsmouthSouth East	South East	5,156 per km²
24	HounslowLondon	London	5,150 per km²
25	LeicesterEast Midlands	East Midlands	5,026 per km²
26	SouthamptonSouth East	South East	4,990 per km²
27	SloughSouth East	South East	4,871 per km²
28	SuttonLondon	London	4,781 per km²
29	ManchesterNorth West	North West	4,772 per km²
30	WatfordEast of England	East of England	4,771 per km²
31	CroydonLondon	London	4,519 per km²
32	Kingston upon ThamesLondon	London	4,512 per km²
33	BarnetLondon	London	4,487 per km²
34	LiverpoolNorth West	North West	4,346 per km²
=35	NottinghamEast Midlands	East Midlands	4,336 per km²
=35	Southend-on-SeaEast of England	East of England	4,336 per km²
37	BristolSouth West	South West	4,315 per km²
38	ReadingSouth East	South East	4,314 per km²
39	BirminghamWest Midlands	West Midlands	4,276 per km²
40	BexleyLondon	London	4,069 per km²
41	BlackpoolNorth West	North West	4,042 per km²
42	EnfieldLondon	London	4,016 per km²
43	SandwellWest Midlands	West Midlands	3,995 per km²
44	WolverhamptonWest Midlands	West Midlands	3,798 per km²
45	Kingston upon HullYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	3,730 per km²
46	NorwichEast of England	East of England	3,690 per km²
47	CambridgeEast of England	East of England	3,579 per km²
48	OxfordSouth East	South East	3,554 per km²
49	IpswichEast of England	East of England	3,535 per km²
50	CoventryWest Midlands	West Midlands	3,501 per km²
51	StevenageEast of England	East of England	3,446 per km²
52	WorthingSouth East	South East	3,424 per km²
53	Richmond upon ThamesLondon	London	3,403 per km²
54	DerbyEast Midlands	East Midlands	3,350 per km²
55	Brighton and HoveSouth East	South East	3,346 per km²
56	PlymouthSouth West	South West	3,315 per km²
57	DudleyWest Midlands	West Midlands	3,302 per km²
58	GloucesterSouth West	South West	3,265 per km²
59	GosportSouth East	South East	3,230 per km²
60	WorcesterWest Midlands	West Midlands	3,115 per km²
61	HarlowEast of England	East of England	3,056 per km²
62	HastingsSouth East	South East	3,054 per km²
63	City of LondonLondon	London	2,970 per km²
64	LincolnEast Midlands	East Midlands	2,909 per km²
65	ExeterSouth West	South West	2,779 per km²
66	SalfordNorth West	North West	2,777 per km²
67	Stoke-on-TrentWest Midlands	West Midlands	2,765 per km²
68	WalsallWest Midlands	West Midlands	2,732 per km²
69	MiddlesbroughNorth East	North East	2,671 per km²
70	Newcastle upon TyneNorth East	North East	2,645 per km²
71	HillingdonLondon	London	2,644 per km²
72	CrawleySouth East	South East	2,636 per km²
73	RushmoorSouth East	South East	2,555 per km²
=74	CheltenhamSouth West	South West	2,550 per km²
=74	TamworthWest Midlands	West Midlands	2,550 per km²
76	North TynesideNorth East	North East	2,534 per km²
77	Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSouth West	South West	2,469 per km²
78	Oadby and WigstonEast Midlands	East Midlands	2,454 per km²
79	Epsom and EwellSouth East	South East	2,374 per km²
80	StockportNorth West	North West	2,339 per km²
81	HaveringLondon	London	2,333 per km²
82	EastbourneSouth East	South East	2,303 per km²
83	South TynesideNorth East	North East	2,294 per km²
84	TamesideNorth West	North West	2,240 per km²
85	HavantSouth East	South East	2,228 per km²
86	TraffordNorth West	North West	2,217 per km²
87	TorbaySouth West	South West	2,216 per km²
88	BromleyLondon	London	2,198 per km²
89	BoltonNorth West	North West	2,117 per km²
90	SpelthorneSouth East	South East	2,012 per km²
91	Castle PointEast of England	East of England	2,006 per km²
92	SunderlandNorth East	North East	1,996 per km²
93	WirralNorth West	North West	1,990 per km²
94	BuryNorth West	North West	1,949 per km²
95	BroxbourneEast of England	East of England	1,924 per km²
96	KnowsleyNorth West	North West	1,786 per km²
97	SeftonNorth West	North West	1,783 per km²
98	WiganNorth West	North West	1,750 per km²
99	EastleighSouth East	South East	1,712 per km²
100	BasildonEast of England	East of England	1,705 per km²
=101	Nuneaton and BedworthWest Midlands	West Midlands	1,701 per km²
=101	OldhamNorth West	North West	1,701 per km²
103	WokingSouth East	South East	1,634 per km²
104	HaltonNorth West	North West	1,625 per km²
105	DartfordSouth East	South East	1,605 per km²
106	RedditchWest Midlands	West Midlands	1,604 per km²
107	ChesterfieldEast Midlands	East Midlands	1,568 per km²
108	FarehamSouth East	South East	1,542 per km²
109	AdurSouth East	South East	1,534 per km²
110	SheffieldYorkshire and The Humber Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,512 per km²
111	BradfordYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,491 per km²
112	LeedsYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,472 per km²
113	MedwaySouth East	South East	1,444 per km²
=114	ElmbridgeSouth East	South East	1,440 per km²
=114	MansfieldEast Midlands	East Midlands	1,440 per km²
116	RochdaleNorth West	North West	1,415 per km²
117	BroxtoweEast Midlands	East Midlands	1,385 per km²
118	GatesheadNorth East	North East	1,378 per km²
119	ThanetSouth East	South East	1,357 per km²
120	St. HelensNorth West	North West	1,344 per km²
121	Cannock ChaseWest Midlands	West Midlands	1,274 per km²
122	SolihullWest Midlands	West Midlands	1,213 per km²
=123	Reigate and BansteadSouth East	South East	1,168 per km²
=123	WarringtonNorth West	North West	1,168 per km²
125	AshfieldEast Midlands	East Midlands	1,153 per km²
126	Bracknell ForestSouth East	South East	1,139 per km²
=127	Blackburn with DarwenNorth West	North West	1,129 per km²
=127	RunnymedeSouth East	South East	1,129 per km²
129	HyndburnNorth West	North West	1,127 per km²
130	GraveshamSouth East	South East	1,080 per km²
131	ThurrockEast of England	East of England	1,074 per km²
132	HertsmereEast of England	East of England	1,066 per km²
133	KirkleesYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,060 per km²
134	Three RiversEast of England	East of England	1,056 per km²
135	WakefieldYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,044 per km²
136	PrestonNorth West	North West	1,039 per km²
137	ErewashEast Midlands	East Midlands	1,030 per km²
138	SwindonSouth West	South West	1,015 per km²
139	WokinghamSouth East	South East	992 per km²
140	HartlepoolNorth East	North East	983 per km²
141	South RibbleNorth West	North West	981 per km²
142	GedlingEast Midlands	East Midlands	977 per km²
143	Stockton-on-TeesNorth East	North East	959 per km²
144	Surrey HeathSouth East	South East	951 per km²
145	Milton KeynesSouth East	South East	930 per km²
146	RotherhamYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	928 per km²
147	Welwyn HatfieldEast of England	East of England	925 per km²
148	St AlbansEast of England	East of England	919 per km²
149	BurnleyNorth West	North West	855 per km²
150	North East LincolnshireYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	815 per km²
151	BlabyEast Midlands	East Midlands	789 per km²
152	Windsor and MaidenheadSouth East	South East	774 per km²
=153	ArunSouth East	South East	746 per km²
=153	YorkYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	746 per km²
155	BarnsleyYorkshire and The Humber Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	Yorkshire and The Humber	743 per km²
156	DacorumEast of England	East of England	730 per km²
157	CharnwoodEast Midlands	East Midlands	659 per km²
158	Telford and WrekinWest Midlands	West Midlands	639 per km²
159	PeterboroughEast of England	East of England	628 per km²
=160	Newcastle-under-LymeWest Midlands	West Midlands	584 per km²
=160	South GloucestershireSouth West	South West	584 per km²
162	ChorleyNorth West	North West	581 per km²
163	ColchesterEast of England	East of England	580 per km²
164	North SomersetSouth West	South West	578 per km²
165	Great YarmouthEast of England	East of England	572 per km²
166	CalderdaleYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	568 per km²
167	PendleNorth West	North West	565 per km²
168	Redcar and ClevelandNorth East	North East	557 per km²
=169	Bath and North East SomersetSouth West	South West	551 per km²
=169	Tonbridge and MallingSouth East	South East	551 per km²
171	DarlingtonNorth East	North East	546 per km²
172	DoncasterYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	542 per km²
=173	ChelmsfordEast of England	East of England	530 per km²
=173	GuildfordSouth East	South East	530 per km²
175	WarwickWest Midlands	West Midlands	525 per km²
176	Wyre ForestWest Midlands	West Midlands	520 per km²
=177	RochfordEast of England	East of England	513 per km²
=177	RossendaleNorth West	North West	513 per km²
179	CanterburySouth East	South East	510 per km²
180	BrentwoodEast of England	East of England	503 per km²
181	BolsoverEast Midlands	East Midlands	501 per km²
182	FyldeNorth West	North West	491 per km²
183	Amber ValleyEast Midlands	East Midlands	475 per km²
184	HartSouth East	South East	462 per km²
=185	BromsgroveWest Midlands	West Midlands	457 per km²
=185	Mid SussexSouth East	South East	457 per km²
187	MaidstoneSouth East	South East	447 per km²
188	TendringEast of England	East of England	441 per km²
189	Central BedfordshireEast of England	East of England	411 per km²
190	SwaleSouth East	South East	406 per km²
191	Epping ForestEast of England	East of England	398 per km²
192	WyreNorth West	North West	396 per km²
193	BedfordEast of England	East of England	389 per km²
194	Cheshire West and ChesterNorth West	North West	388 per km²
195	Hinckley and BosworthEast Midlands	East Midlands	382 per km²
196	North West LeicestershireEast Midlands	East Midlands	375 per km²
197	WaverleySouth East	South East	371 per km²
=198	Isle of WightSouth East	South East	370 per km²
=198	North East DerbyshireEast Midlands	East Midlands	370 per km²
200	DoverSouth East	South East	369 per km²
201	North NorthamptonshireEast Midlands	East Midlands	364 per km²
202	North HertfordshireEast of England	East of England	355 per km²
203	TandridgeSouth East	South East	354 per km²
204	BuckinghamshireSouth East	South East	353 per km²
205	Tunbridge WellsSouth East	South East	348 per km²
=206	Cheshire EastNorth West	North West	342 per km²
=206	LewesSouth East	South East	342 per km²
208	West LancashireNorth West	North West	339 per km²
209	Mole ValleySouth East	South East	338 per km²
210	SevenoaksSouth East	South East	325 per km²
211	RugbyWest Midlands	West Midlands	323 per km²
212	LichfieldWest Midlands	West Midlands	321 per km²
213	East StaffordshireWest Midlands	West Midlands	318 per km²
214	South DerbyshireEast Midlands	East Midlands	317 per km²
215	East HertfordshireEast of England	East of England	316 per km²
=216	Folkestone and HytheSouth East	South East	308 per km²
=216	West NorthamptonshireEast Midlands	East Midlands	308 per km²
218	Basingstoke and DeaneSouth East	South East	292 per km²
219	RushcliffeEast Midlands	East Midlands	291 per km²
220	HorshamSouth East	South East	277 per km²
221	CherwellSouth East	South East	273 per km²
222	South StaffordshireWest Midlands	West Midlands	271 per km²
223	StroudSouth West	South West	263 per km²
224	BraintreeEast of England	East of England	254 per km²
225	LancasterNorth West	North West	252 per km²
226	East HampshireSouth East	South East	244 per km²
227	Vale of White HorseSouth East	South East	240 per km²
228	BroadlandEast of England	East of England	239 per km²
=229	County DurhamNorth East	North East	234 per km²
=229	New ForestSouth East	South East	234 per km²
=231	AshfordSouth East	South East	229 per km²
=231	North WarwickshireWest Midlands	West Midlands	229 per km²
=231	StaffordWest Midlands	West Midlands	229 per km²
=231	TewkesburySouth West	South West	229 per km²
=231	West BerkshireSouth East	South East	229 per km²
236	South OxfordshireSouth East	South East	220 per km²
237	Test ValleySouth East	South East	208 per km²
=238	North LincolnshireYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	200 per km²
=238	TeignbridgeSouth West	South West	200 per km²
=238	WychavonWest Midlands	West Midlands	200 per km²
241	HuntingdonshireEast of England	East of England	198 per km²
242	East SuffolkEast of England	East of England	195 per km²
243	BostonEast Midlands	East Midlands	194 per km²
244	WinchesterSouth East	South East	193 per km²
245	WealdenSouth East	South East	192 per km²
246	Newark and SherwoodEast Midlands	East Midlands	189 per km²
247	FenlandEast of England	East of England	188 per km²
=248	BassetlawEast Midlands	East Midlands	185 per km²
=248	East DevonSouth West	South West	185 per km²
=248	MaldonEast of England	East of England	185 per km²
251	RotherSouth East	South East	182 per km²
252	South CambridgeshireEast of England	East of England	180 per km²
253	West SuffolkEast of England	East of England	174 per km²
254	High PeakEast Midlands	East Midlands	168 per km²
=255	SomersetSouth West Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	South West	166 per km²
=255	Staffordshire MoorlandsWest Midlands	West Midlands	166 per km²
=257	Forest of DeanSouth West	South West	165 per km²
=257	HarboroughEast Midlands	East Midlands	165 per km²
259	CornwallSouth West	South West	161 per km²
260	West OxfordshireSouth East	South East	160 per km²
261	ChichesterSouth East	South East	158 per km²
262	WiltshireSouth West	South West	157 per km²
263	South NorfolkEast of England	East of England	156 per km²
264	BaberghEast of England	East of England	155 per km²
=265	DorsetSouth West	South West	152 per km²
=265	South KestevenEast Midlands	East Midlands	152 per km²
=267	East Riding of YorkshireYorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire and The Humber	142 per km²
=267	UttlesfordEast of England	East of England	142 per km²
=269	Malvern HillsWest Midlands	West Midlands	138 per km²
=269	Stratford-on-AvonWest Midlands	West Midlands	138 per km²
271	East CambridgeshireEast of England	East of England	135 per km²
272	North KestevenEast Midlands	East Midlands	128 per km²
273	South HollandEast Midlands	East Midlands	127 per km²
274	Isles of ScillySouth West	South West	126 per km²
275	Mid SuffolkEast of England	East of England	118 per km²
=276	BrecklandEast of England	East of England	108 per km²
=276	MeltonEast Midlands	East Midlands	108 per km²
278	King's Lynn and West NorfolkEast of England	East of England	107 per km²
279	North NorfolkEast of England	East of England	106 per km²
280	Ribble ValleyNorth West	North West	105 per km²
281	RutlandEast Midlands	East Midlands	104 per km²
282	ShropshireWest Midlands	West Midlands	101 per km²
283	South HamsSouth West	South West	100 per km²
=284	Mid DevonSouth West	South West	91 per km²
=284	North DevonSouth West	South West	91 per km²
=286	CumberlandNorth West Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	North West	90 per km²
=286	Derbyshire DalesEast Midlands	East Midlands	90 per km²
288	HerefordshireWest Midlands	West Midlands	86 per km²
289	West LindseyEast Midlands	East Midlands	82 per km²
290	East LindseyEast Midlands	East Midlands	81 per km²
291	CotswoldSouth West	South West	78 per km²
292	North YorkshireYorkshire and The Humber Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	Yorkshire and The Humber	77 per km²
293	TorridgeSouth West	South West	69 per km²
294	NorthumberlandNorth East	North East	64 per km²
295	Westmorland and FurnessNorth West Worked out by Open Index by adding up the census output areas in this area, because the census was published on the boundaries before this council changed.	North West	60 per km²
296	West DevonSouth West	South West	49 per km²

Worked out by Open Index from census population counts and the area of each place. Source and method · See it on the map