Preston population, 2001–2024
Preston has an estimated population of 162,864 (mid-2024), up 24.9% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the Preston local authority area.
162,864
population, mid-2024
+24.9%
since 2001
+16.2%
last 10 years
2024
peak year (162,864)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 162,864 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 158,317 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 152,550 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 147,786 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 145,912 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 144,624 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 142,417 | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 141,734 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 140,468 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 140,615 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 140,158 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 140,302 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 140,216 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 140,054 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 138,831 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 137,956 | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 138,443 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 138,470 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 137,784 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 136,200 | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 134,410 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 132,685 | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 131,110 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 130,372 | — |
Food businesses
Preston has 215 takeaways, 323 restaurants and cafés and 124 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.67 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 13.2 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the Preston local authority area (code E07000123), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.