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Key facts about Nottingham's Population

 

Overall

  • Nottingham’s* population in 2024 was an estimated 331,077 residents. (*'Nottingham' meaning the Nottingham City Council local authority area).

  • Since 2014, the city's population has grown by 6.7% - an additional 20,738 people (compound annual growth rate of 0.65%).

  • This however simplifies a mixed picture. As the chart below shows, from 2016-2019 annual rates of population growth were, on average, slowing but still positive. Since 2020 population growth has been volatile, with two years of negative population growth followed by a 'spiky' period of growth. This latter pattern is partially due to the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown policies and changes to international migration.  

Annual rates of population growth in Nottingham (smoothed), 1992-2024

Children and Young People

  • The number of children aged 0 to 6 years has declined by 11% between 2014 and 2024, dropping from 28,586 to 25,427. This is partially due to declining birth rates, reflecting wider national demographic trends.

  • The population aged 7 to 22 conversely has grown by 22%, growing from 82,764 to 100,979. This growth is partly explained by in-migration (especially of students) and higher birth rates in the early 2000s.

  • Nottingham has a substantially greater proportion of the population aged 19 to 22 compared to the national profile: 15.8% in this age group vs 4.7% nationally. This is likely due to the large university population in the city.

Adults

  • The population aged 23 to 30 has shrunk between 2014 and 2024 by 11% (a drop of 4,570 individuals). This likely reflects net out‑migration after study and family moves to nearby districts.

  • The population aged 31 to 65 grew by 7% between 2014 and 2024.

Older People

  • The proportion of the population aged 66 to 78 grew by 12% between 2014 and 2024, whereas the proportion of the population aged 79 or above shrunk by 6% in this period.

  • The proportion of the population aged 66 and over is lower in Nottingham (11%) than in England overall (17.6%), reflecting the city’s relatively younger age structure.

Gender

  • In 2024, there 1.05 females for every 1 male in Nottingham. This is a slight change from 2014, where the ratio was 0.99, with the female population growing by 9.6% since 2014, whereas the male population only grew by 3.8%.

  • In terms gender identity, note that in 2021 (latest year we have data for), around 0.9% (2,290 people) of Nottingham residents aged 16 and older indicated that their gender identity was different from sex registered at birth.

Population Pyramid

  • A population pyramid provides a visual representation of some the figures cited in this webpage, showing the population structure by age and gender. This pyramid has both 2014 and 2024 data, allowing for some of the changes over time to be viewed. Male populations are shown on the left-hand side of the chart, and females on the right. The solid colour shows the population structure in 2024, and outlined bars the population in 2014. 

Population Pyramid for NCC: 2014 and 2024

Source of data: ONS Population estimates - local authority based by single year of age, gender identity from Census 2021.

Population Projections for Nottingham

This page explains Nottingham’s population projections, how they are produced, and why they matter for planning the city’s future. It summarises the official 2022‑based projections from the ONS and presents what they suggest about Nottingham’s long‑term population trends.

Census

The Census is a survey of the whole population. The last Census of England and Wales was held on 21st March 2021. It captures a breadth of information which can be used to help target resources more efficiently and inform policy-making.

Children and young people

Nottingham continues to face many challenges which often impact adversely on the health and wellbeing of our children, young people and families, making the task of improving outcomes a long term commitment.

Older people

Nottingham’s Age Friendly Nottingham initiative focusses on supporting citizens aged 50+ years to feel valued, live as independently as possible and being encouraged to contribute to their local communities.

Carers

Over 5.8 Million people provide unpaid care in England and Wales. Carers make an enormous contribution to society and save the economy billions of pounds.