The population of Bristol was estimated to be 471,200 people at the end of June 2021.
Overview
Mid-2021 population estimates were published by the Office for National Statistics on 21 December 2022.
The mid-2021 population estimates are the first estimates based on the 2021 Census.
Bristol is the largest city in the South West and one of the 11 ‘Core Cities' in the United Kingdom.
Bristol was the fastest growing of all the Core Cities in England and Wales over the last 10 years.
Find summaries for the latest population estimates for Bristol in our:
- pdf mid-2021 Population Estimates Note (176 KB)
- spreadsheet mid-2021 Population Estimates by age and sex (24 KB)
An updated population of Bristol report will be produced in Spring 2023 which will include more detailed analysis of population trends.
Population estimates for small geographies
Census 2021 population estimates are available by age and sex for wards and 2021 Lower Layer Super Output Areas:
- pdf Ward Census 2021 population by broad age band (452 KB)
- spreadsheet Ward Census 2021 population by broad age band (11 KB)
- pdf LSOA21 Census 2021 population by broad age band (1.31 MB)
- spreadsheet LSOA21 Census 2021 population by broad age band (35 KB)
Census 2021 results
Census results for Bristol are presented in two new dashboards which can be found on our Census 2021 page.
Population by Equalities Group
The Equalities Statistics briefing note has been updated with new Census 2021 data.
The briefing note outlines the main sources of equalities statistics for Bristol, including information on age, sex, ethnic group, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and legal partnership status.
pdf Equalities Statistics April 2023 (414 KB)
Population projections
The latest population projections for the Bristol local authority area are the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2018: based population projections:
Advice on using the projections
These projections published on 24 March 2020 are based on the 2018 mid-year population estimates.
The projections are trend-based projections, which mean assumptions for future levels of births, deaths and migration are based on observed levels mainly over the last five years.
The projections do not attempt to predict the impact that future government or local policies, changing economic circumstances, local development policy, the capacity of an area to accommodate population or other factors might have on demographic behaviour.
Future population projections are uncertain. Current events including the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the EU, the war in Ukraine, the new Hong Kong British National Overseas visa, the economic crisis and the global climate emergency – and their potential impacts on our economy and society, are not reflected in the current 2018-based population projections.
New 2021-based subnational population projections and household projections will be published by ONS in Summer 2024. These projections will use Census 2021 data and revised trends to re-base the projections.