Population data
There are currently estimated to be 1,610,300 people living within the Kent County Council area.
The estimated resident population of an area includes all people who usually live there, whatever their nationality. Members of UK and non-UK armed forces stationed in the UK are included and UK forces stationed outside the UK are excluded. Students are taken to be resident at their term time address.
The national census provides a population count of the whole of the UK every ten years. For the years in between, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) provides an annual population estimate for England and Wales down to local authority level. These estimates are known as the Mid-Year Population Estimates (MYPE) and are released during the summer each year.
The 2021 and 2022 ward level estimates were released in March 2024. Mid year population estimates (MYPE) are not available for Parishes.
All population estimates are based on the previous census with the total number of births and inward migrants added in and the numbers of deaths and outward migrants taken away. Due to the lengthy process of calculating these estimates they are always a year behind so this year's figures will not be available until next year.
The MYPE only provide us with estimates of the total population by age and sex. They will not update any information on the characteristics of the population such as nationality, occupation or religion. Area profiles shows the socio-economic information that is available.
County and district level population counts
Of the 12 local authority districts within the Kent County Council area, Maidstone Borough is the most populated with 184,200 people. Gravesham Borough is the least populated with 107,700 people.
The total population of Kent and local authority districts in Kent, along with national and regional comparisons is summarised in the Mid Year Population Estimates: Total population of Kent bulletin (PDF, 329.8 KB).
Population estimates by five-year age and gender for each local authority district in Kent are summarised in the Mid Year Population Estimates: Age and Sex profile bulletin (PDF, 454.0 KB).
A time series of total population estimates between 2003 and 2023 for each local authority district in Kent are summarised in the Time series of mid-year population estimates 2003 to 2023 bulletin (PDF, 252.1 KB).
A time series of population estimates by age and sex between 2003 and 2023 can be accessed in the interactive population estimates toolkit (XLSM, 2.7 MB). This toolkit is best viewed on desktop computer. If prompted to enable or disable macros, choose to enable.
Ward population counts
There are currently 265 electoral wards in the Kent County Council area and a further 24 in the Medway Unitary Authority area.
The total population of Kent wards, along with national and regional comparisons is summarised in the mid-year population estimates: Ward level population in Kent bulletin (PDF, 404.4 KB).
Or also create your own ward profile using Census 2021 data.
Parish population counts
There are 309 parishes within the Kent County Council area.
The only source of published parish population information is the national census.
Create your own parish profile using Census 2021 Data
Build a custom area profile on the Office for National Statistics website.