Compare

People and census in Wakefield

Metropolitan borough

Central Yorkshire and The Humber. 369,450 people (mid-2025 estimate) in 339 square kilometres.

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

Open in map

Population by output area

Census 2021, England and Wales

Under 129379 or more

Wakefield’s 1,150 output areas range from 101 to 869.

What is the population of Wakefield?

Wakefield had 353,368 usual residents at the census.

Wakefield is the 29th most populated of 361 in the UK.

Population

Council
353,368
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Wakefield had 353,368 usual residents at the census.

Wakefield is the 29th most populated of 361 in the UK.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 2,053 to 1,144,919. The middle area is 143,926. Wakefield is 353,368.

Population estimate

Council
369,450
ONS population estimates · 2025

Wakefield’s population was an estimated 369,450 in mid-2025.

The population rose 0.7% in the year to mid-2025.

Wakefield is 30th most populated of 361 for population.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population estimate: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 2,299 to 1,176,960. The middle area is 148,772. Wakefield is 369,450.

Aged 15 to 64

Council
63.6%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

63.6% of residents in Wakefield were aged 15 to 64 at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 63.5%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
About the same63.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 15 to 64: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 53.9% to 79.6%. The middle area is 62.8%. Wakefield is 63.6%.

Aged 65 and over

Council
18.8%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

18.8% of residents in Wakefield were aged 65 or over at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 19.0%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
1% lower19.0%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged 65 and over: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 5.6% to 33.5%. The middle area is 19.7%. Wakefield is 18.8%.

Aged under 15

Council
17.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

17.5% of residents in Wakefield were aged under 15 at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 17.5%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
About the same17.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Aged under 15: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 6.4% to 24.6%. The middle area is 16.9%. Wakefield is 17.5%.

Born outside the UK

Council
8.5%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

8.5% of residents in Wakefield were born outside the UK.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 11.4%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
25% lower11.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Born outside the UK: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 2.6% to 56.1%. The middle area is 9.9%. Wakefield is 8.5%.

Disability

Council
20.2%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

20.2% of residents in Wakefield had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 18.6%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
9% higher18.6%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Disability: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 10.7% to 29.3%. The middle area is 18.5%. Wakefield is 20.2%.

Good or very good health

Council
79.0%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

79.0% of residents in Wakefield said their health was good or very good.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 80.5%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
2% lower80.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Good or very good health: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 73.6% to 89.3%. The middle area is 81.7%. Wakefield is 79.0%.

Households

Council
153,075
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

Wakefield had 153,075 households at the census.

Wakefield is 23rd highest of 361 for the number of households.

Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 942 to 423,456. The middle area is 60,932. Wakefield is 153,075.

Households without a car or van

Council
22.8%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

22.8% of households in Wakefield had no car or van at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 24.2%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
6% lower24.2%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Households without a car or van: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 7.8% to 77.2%. The middle area is 18.6%. Wakefield is 22.8%.

Owner-occupied homes

Council
63.4%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

63.4% of households in Wakefield owned their home at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 63.1%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
About the same63.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Owner-occupied homes: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 25.7% to 82.6%. The middle area is 67.3%. Wakefield is 63.4%.

Population density

Council
1,044 per km²
Worked out by Open Index · 2021

Wakefield had 1,044 people per square kilometre at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 356 per km².

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

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
2.9 times356 per km²
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Population density: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 8 per km² to 15,696 per km². The middle area is 568 per km². Wakefield is 1,044 per km².

Private rented homes

Council
14.9%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

14.9% of households in Wakefield rented privately at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 19.4%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
23% lower19.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Private rented homes: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 5.7% to 48.3%. The middle area is 17.3%. Wakefield is 14.9%.

Social rented homes

Council
21.7%
ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

21.7% of households in Wakefield rented from a council or housing association at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 17.3%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
25% higher17.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Social rented homes: Wakefield among every council361 areas from 5.5% to 40.5%. The middle area is 14.6%. Wakefield is 21.7%.

Degree-level qualifications

CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland only
24.3%
ONS Census 2021 and NISRA Census 2021 · 2021

24.3% of residents aged 16 and over in Wakefield had a degree-level qualification at the census.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 29.5%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
18% lower29.5%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Degree-level qualifications: Wakefield among every council329 areas from 18.2% to 74.2%. The middle area is 31.8%. Wakefield is 24.3%.

Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh

CouncilEngland and Wales only
3.6%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

3.6% of residents in Wakefield identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 8.9%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
60% lower8.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 0.3% to 47.3%. The middle area is 3.6%. Wakefield is 3.6%.

Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African

CouncilEngland and Wales only
1.3%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

1.3% of residents in Wakefield identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 2.1%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
38% lower2.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 0.1% to 26.8%. The middle area is 1.1%. Wakefield is 1.3%.

Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
1.4%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

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

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 2.1%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
33% lower2.1%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 0.7% to 8.1%. The middle area is 2.2%. Wakefield is 1.4%.

Other ethnic group

CouncilEngland and Wales only
0.7%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

0.7% of residents in Wakefield identified with another ethnic group, including Arab.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 1.4%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
50% lower1.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Other ethnic group: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 0.2% to 13.5%. The middle area is 0.9%. Wakefield is 0.7%.

White ethnic groups

CouncilEngland and Wales only
93.0%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

93.0% of residents in Wakefield identified with a White ethnic group.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 85.4%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
9% higher85.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
White ethnic groups: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 30.8% to 98.2%. The middle area is 92.2%. Wakefield is 93.0%.

Christian

CouncilEngland and Wales only
49.0%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

49.0% of residents in Wakefield said they were Christian.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 44.9%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
9% higher44.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Christian: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 22.3% to 66.6%. The middle area is 47.9%. Wakefield is 49.0%.

No religion

CouncilEngland and Wales only
41.3%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

41.3% of residents in Wakefield said they had no religion.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 39.4%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
5% higher39.4%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
No religion: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 56.7%. The middle area is 39.9%. Wakefield is 41.3%.

Working mainly from home

CouncilEngland and Wales only
22.5%
ONS Census 2021 · 2021

22.5% of working residents in Wakefield worked mainly from home in March 2021.

In Yorkshire and The Humber the figure is 25.9%.

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
13% lower25.9%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Working mainly from home: Wakefield among every council318 areas from 10.6% to 67.3%. The middle area is 29.6%. Wakefield is 22.5%.

Annual population change

Council
0.7%
Worked out by Open Index · 2025

Wakefield’s estimated population changed by 0.7% in the year to mid-2025.

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

Against Yorkshire and The Humber
2.3 times0.3%
Against the UK
2.3 times0.3%
Open in mapSource and methodEvery council ranked
Annual population change: Wakefield among every council361 areas from −3.5% to 2.4%. The middle area is 0.4%. Wakefield is 0.7%.