Latest Census data on Wirral is published

The latest Census information has been published and it shows that in Wirral the population size has increased slightly over the last decade.

The Census also reveals that the population of England and Wales is the largest ever recorded - with 59,597,300 people living in England and Wales on 21 March 2021, the day of the latest census. This is over 3.5 million more (6.3%) than in 2011 when the previous Census was taken.

The data published includes details specific to Wirral and you can find out about this from the Office For National Statistics interactive webpage.

A few key facts about Wirral from the latest Census data to be published (June 28, 2022): 

• In Wirral, the population size has increased slightly (0.1%), from 319,800 in 2011 to 320,200 in 2021. The total population of England grew by 6.6%, increasing by nearly 3.5 million to 56,489,800.
• Nearby areas like Cheshire West and Chester and Knowsley have seen their populations increase by around 8.4% and 5.9%, respectively, while others such as Liverpool saw an increase of 4.2% and Sefton saw smaller growth (2.0%).
• As of 2021, Wirral is the ninth most densely populated of the North West's 39 local authority areas, with around 14 people living on each football pitch-sized area of land.
• Overall, in England, there has been an increase of 20.1% in people aged 65 years and over, an increase of 3.6% in people aged 15 to 64 years, and an increase of 5.0% in children aged under 15 years. Meanwhile in Wirral there has been an increase of 15.5% in people aged 65 years and over, a decrease of 3.9% in people aged 15 to 64 years, and a decrease of 1.6% in children aged under 15 years.

You can also Play the Census 2021 population map game which is based on Census 2021 data, which challenges players to make their way across a map of England and Wales by correctly guessing facts about neighbouring local authorities.

The newly published information includes a fascinating History of the census: 1801 to 2021, showing how the census in England and Wales has evolved over 220 years, from the first census in 1801 to 2021 and the future of population statistics.