Manchester swells by 19% in decade

Manchester's population grew by 19% between 2001 and 2011, more than any local authority outside London, according to census data published on Monday by the Office for National Statistics.

The population of the North West on census day 27 March 2011 was 7.1m, an increase of 4% from 2001 when it was 6.7m.

The North West had the third largest population of any English region but had seen a decrease in its population between 1981 and 2001. However, the period from 2001 to 2011 saw population growth of 4 %; larger than in the North East but still less than the population growth in other English regions and Wales.

By comparison the population across the whole of England and Wales increased by 7 %to 56.1 million, the largest growth in population in any 10-year period since census taking began in 1801.

Nearly all local authorities across England and Wales increased in population but eight local authorities in the North West saw a decrease in population:

• Barrow-in-Furness -4.0%
• Knowsley -3.5%
• Sefton -3.2%
• Burnley -2.7%
• Hyndburn -0.9%
• St Helens -0.8%
• Stockport -0.5%
• Blackpool -0.2%

Across all of England and Wales 17 local authorities decreased in population.

Manchester was the largest authority in the North West by population with 503,100 people, an increase of 19%, some 80,400 people, between 2001 and 2011. The percentage increase was the third largest in England and Wales behind Newham and Tower Hamlets, both London boroughs.

The local authority with the fewest people was Eden, with 52,600 people but it still grew in population by 5.4%, which is more than the average for the region.

Eden was also the least densely populated local authority in England and Wales, with 25 people per square kilometre. By contrast, Manchester was the most densely populated local authority in the region with 4,350 people per square kilometre, which equates to 43 people on a rugby pitch.

The local authority with the largest proportion of people aged 65 and over was Wyre with 25%; the smallest proportion in this age group was in Manchester with 9%.

Blackburn with Darwen had the largest proportion of people aged 19 and under with 29%, with the smallest proportion in this age group being 20% in South Lakeland and Fylde.

Across England and Wales there was a 13% increase in the number of children under five, with over 400,000 more in 2011 than in 2001. In the North West there were 36,500 under-fives compared to 2001, an increase of 9% in that period. Blackburn with Darwen had the largest proportion with 8%, with the smallest proportion in South Lakeland 4.3%.

The total number of households in the North West was 3m. Blackburn with Darwen also had, along with Oldham, the largest average household size in the region, with 2.5 people; Fylde and Blackpool had the two smallest, 2.1 people.

Local Authorities in North West ranked by population size in 2011 Census

Table source: Office for National Statistics