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Cambridgeshire, in numbers

People and living standards

Cambridgeshire County Council area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Cambridgeshire County Council area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 510,586 in 1991 to 716,983 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Cambridgeshire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 530,401 people in 1996; 716,983 people in 2025. 35.2% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991510,586
1992516,185
1993519,017
1994518,694
1995522,685
1996530,401
1997538,927
1998544,946
1999547,582
2000551,368
2001554,704
2002558,916
2003568,743
2004574,445
2005583,651
2006588,890
2007594,338
2008600,808
2009606,238
2010614,899
2011622,312
2012628,779
2013634,996
2014643,025
2015651,011
2016657,286
2017661,465
2018665,676
2019668,649
2020671,281
2021680,747
2022691,686
2023703,197
2024713,218
2025716,983
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Cambridgeshire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 104,866 people in 1996; 123,375 people in 2025. 17.7% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991101,250
1992102,403
1993103,084
1994103,381
1995103,782
1996104,866
1997106,124
1998106,821
1999107,358
2000107,795
2001107,316
2002107,804
2003109,418
2004109,443
2005109,036
2006109,237
2007109,679
2008110,402
2009111,230
2010111,974
2011112,820
2012113,537
2013114,464
2014115,702
2015116,893
2016118,032
2017118,388
2018118,636
2019118,641
2020118,666
2021119,288
2022121,404
2023123,279
2024124,449
2025123,375
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Cambridgeshire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 347,611 people in 1996; 455,459 people in 2025. 31% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991335,898
1992339,411
1993340,627
1994339,308
1995341,772
1996347,611
1997354,059
1998358,597
1999360,202
2000362,676
2001365,333
2002367,829
2003374,522
2004378,601
2005386,751
2006390,715
2007394,036
2008397,300
2009399,355
2010404,369
2011408,141
2012409,195
2013410,990
2014414,225
2015418,561
2016421,575
2017423,450
2018425,728
2019426,542
2020427,404
2021433,841
2022440,032
2023447,418
2024453,476
2025455,459
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Cambridgeshire council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 77,924 people in 1996; 138,149 people in 2025. 77.3% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199173,438
199274,371
199375,306
199476,005
199577,131
199677,924
199778,744
199879,528
199980,022
200080,897
200182,055
200283,283
200384,803
200486,401
200587,864
200688,938
200790,623
200893,106
200995,653
201098,556
2011101,351
2012106,047
2013109,542
2014113,098
2015115,557
2016117,679
2017119,627
2018121,312
2019123,466
2020125,211
2021127,618
2022130,250
2023132,500
2024135,293
2025138,149
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2021 census · 678,849 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Cambridgeshire · 2021
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh39,6895.8%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African9,7451.4%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups19,3542.9%
White601,16688.6%
Other ethnic group8,8951.3%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 621,210 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Cambridgeshire · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White574,98792.6%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups11,0811.8%
Asian/Asian British25,6384.1%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British6,0101%
Other ethnic group3,4940.6%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2001 census · 552,658 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Cambridgeshire · 2001
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White530,16495.9%
Mixed5,7211%
Asian/Asian British7,3231.3%
Black/Black British3,2270.6%
Chinese/Other6,2231.1%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 7% above the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Cambridgeshire council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £11,302.09 per person in 1997; £27,777.74 per person in 2024. 145.8% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Calculated for the county from the complete exact published district-code set: sum Table1 income totals and Table2 resident populations, then divide total pounds by population. This is a UK Facts calculation, not a directly published ONS county figure. It does not average district rates. All years use the same published district rows, not reconstructed historical councils. Source totals are rounded to £million, so derived per-person amounts have additional rounding uncertainty.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
199711,302.09
199811,568.12
199912,255.7
200012,762.8
200113,014.15
200213,493.98
200313,601.93
200414,297.28
200515,173.45
200615,787.33
200716,359.38
200816,690.86
200917,021.37
201017,080.85
201117,115.21
201217,700.97
201318,426.89
201419,296.29
201520,159.41
201620,657.67
201721,151.53
201821,792.88
201922,588.83
202022,376.62
202123,087.87
202224,280.62
202326,247.47
202427,777.74
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Cambridgeshire council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: 6.52% in 1997; 6.98% in 2024. 0.46 percentage points higher.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Calculated for the county from the complete exact published district-code set: sum Table1 income totals and Table2 resident populations, then divide total pounds by population. This is a UK Facts calculation, not a directly published ONS county figure. It does not average district rates. All years use the same published district rows, not reconstructed historical councils. Source totals are rounded to £million, so derived per-person amounts have additional rounding uncertainty. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Cambridgeshire council area: full reviewed history
Period%
19976.52
19986.85
19998.34
20007.22
20015.2
20026.65
20034.35
20045.34
20057.93
20067.81
20076.61
20085.98
20096.3
20105.76
20115.04
20124.8
20135.21
20146.71
20155.97
20167.27
20177.36
20186.78
20197.2
20206.61
20215.69
20225.73
20237.35
20246.98
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults in work

60%

21 March 2021 · Cambridgeshire County Council area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

Source →

Households facing several disadvantages

13.9%

21 March 2021 · Cambridgeshire County Council area

Show the workings

All households

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Adults with no qualifications

15.1%

21 March 2021 · Cambridgeshire County Council area

Show the workings

Residents aged 16 and over

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

4.1%

21 March 2021 · Cambridgeshire County Council area

Show the workings

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Average home price

£339,000

July 2026 · Cambridgeshire County Council area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.