On the 28th June 2022, the Office for National Statistics released the first data from the 2021 Census.

This included data on the following, at local authority level, on Census Day 21st March 2021:

  • Total population, by 5 year age group and gender
  • Population density
  • Number of households
You can read our full briefing note on the figures HERE
Alternatively you can view a summary of the first results as an infographic HERE
The data can also be accessed on the Data Observatory via the updated Population Profile or via the Data Explorer.

 

Key Findings

  • On Census Day, 21 March 2021, the size of the usual resident population in Hull was 267,100.
  • In terms of total population, this makes Hull the 60th largest local authority area in England (out of 309), and is the largest population recorded through a census in Hull since the 1971 Census.
  • The population of Hull grew by 10,700 (4.2%) since the last census in 2011, when the population was 256,400.
  • This is lower than the overall growth for England (6.6%), but higher than the increase for Yorkshire and the Humber (3.7%).
  • Unlike the last census, there are now more women (133,800; 50.1%) than men in Hull (133,300; 49.9%).
  • In Hull, there were approximately 50,000 children and young people aged under 15 years (18.7%), 176,100 people aged 15 to 64 years (65.9%) and 40,800 people aged 65 years and over (15.3%).
  • Hull has a young population. There is a larger proportion of every age group under 40 years in Hull compared to nationally; particularly those aged 20 – 34 years. Conversely, there is a lower proportion of every age group 40 years and above compared to nationally.
  • Compared to 2011, there has been an increase of 10.4% in children aged under 15 years, an increase of 0.4% in people aged 15 to 64 years, and an increase of 14.2% in people aged 65 years and over.
  • While Hull’s population is not aging at the same rate as nationally, large increases in those aged 65 to 74 years mean the population aged 65 years and over is currently at its highest level.
  • Other population growth in Hull over the last decade appears to focus on young families; specifically those aged 30 to 39 years with children aged 5 to 14 years.  Historically, these age groups have been in decline due to large levels of outward internal migration to the East Riding. However, recent and ongoing work in Hull building new houses, creating new jobs, improving the public realm, and improving educational attainment continues to create a city and neighbourhoods which attract people (particularly young families) to live and work here.
  • As of 2021, Hull has 3,731 residents per square kilometre – the same as around 27 people living on each football pitch-sized area of land.
  • This makes Hull the most densely populated of Yorkshire and the Humber’s 21 local authority areas.
  • There were 115,500 households in Hull on Census Day; the number of households increased by approximately 2,900 since 2011 (2.6%), when there were 112,600 households.
  • Compared to overall population growth, the increase in households is relatively small. This could be the result of Hull increasing the occupancy of existing properties and / or building new houses specifically for larger families (which in turn would explain the increase in families discussed earlier).
  • Between censuses, the Office for National Statistics produce annual midyear estimates of the resident population, by age and gender, at local authority level. The latest midyear estimate for (2020) suggested that there were 259,100 people living in Hull and that the population was in decline. However, the 2021 Census estimate is 8,000 higher than 2020 mid-year estimate. This suggests that the mid-year estimates have likely significantly undercounted Hull’s population, particularly in recent years.
  • This undercount has largely occurred in the working age population; with approximately 6,000 fewer 15- to 64-year-olds counted in the 2020 mid-year estimate compared to the 2021 census. Further analysis into the impact of this undercount will be produced when more detailed Census data is released.