People and census in Wales
NationOne of the four nations of the United Kingdom. 3,175,181 people in 20,783 square kilometres.
24 layers about people and census for Wales, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source.
Population by output area
Census 2021, England and Wales
There is no population figure for Wales’s output areas yet.
What is the population of Wales?
Wales had 3,107,494 usual residents at the census.
Wales is the 2nd least populated of 4 in the UK.
Population
NationWales had 3,107,494 usual residents at the census.
Wales is the 2nd least populated of 4 in the UK.
Population estimate
NationWales’s population was an estimated 3,175,181 in mid-2025.
The population fell 0.1% in the year to mid-2025.
Wales is 2nd least populated of 4 for population.
Aged 15 to 64
Nation62.2% of residents in Wales were aged 15 to 64 at the census.
Aged 65 and over
Nation21.3% of residents in Wales were aged 65 or over at the census.
Aged under 15
Nation16.5% of residents in Wales were aged under 15 at the census.
Born outside the UK
Nation6.9% of residents in Wales were born outside the UK.
Disability
Nation21.6% of residents in Wales had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability.
Good or very good health
Nation78.6% of residents in Wales said their health was good or very good.
Households
NationWales had 1,347,114 households at the census.
Wales is 2nd lowest of 4 for the number of households.
Households without a car or van
Nation19.4% of households in Wales had no car or van at the census.
Owner-occupied homes
Nation66.4% of households in Wales owned their home at the census.
Population density
NationWales had 150 people per square kilometre at the census.
Worked out by Open Index from census population counts and the area of each place.
Private rented homes
Nation17.0% of households in Wales rented privately at the census.
Social rented homes
Nation16.5% of households in Wales rented from a council or housing association at the census.
Degree-level qualifications
NationEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland only31.5% of residents aged 16 and over in Wales had a degree-level qualification at the census.
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh
NationEngland and Wales only2.9% of residents in Wales identified with the Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group.
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African
NationEngland and Wales only0.9% of residents in Wales identified with the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group.
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups
NationEngland and Wales only1.6% of residents in Wales identified with a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group.
Other ethnic group
NationEngland and Wales only0.9% of residents in Wales identified with another ethnic group, including Arab.
White ethnic groups
NationEngland and Wales only93.8% of residents in Wales identified with a White ethnic group.
Christian
NationEngland and Wales only43.6% of residents in Wales said they were Christian.
No religion
NationEngland and Wales only46.5% of residents in Wales said they had no religion.
Working mainly from home
NationEngland and Wales only25.6% of working residents in Wales worked mainly from home in March 2021.
Annual population change
NationWales’s estimated population changed by −0.1% in the year to mid-2025.
Worked out by Open Index from the mid-year population estimates.