What is Leicester’s population? City totals, growth and density
Leicester’s population was 368,600 in 2021. Discover how the city grew from 2011 to 2021, plus its density of 5,027 residents per km² and boundary context.
Leicester’s population was 368,600 in 2021. That is a dated population figure, not a live count or a current-year estimate. Keeping the year alongside the number matters when comparing Leicester with other places.
Leicester city population: the headline figure
The population entry for Leicester records 368,600 residents for 2021. This article uses that figure consistently rather than combining it with differently dated estimates or totals for a wider urban area.
Leicester population over time
The recorded population totals show an increase across these three reference years:
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 329,839 |
| 2014 | 337,653 |
| 2021 | 368,600 |
These figures describe population size. On their own, they do not establish how much change came from migration, births or deaths.
Population of Leicester, UK: density and boundaries
Leicester’s recorded population density is 5,027 residents per square kilometre in 2021. Its recorded area is 73.3 km², with that area entry dated 9 October 2026. Both appear in the Leicester statistical record.
Think of the geographic boundary as the supporting framework around a population figure: move the frame and the total can change without anyone moving home. For a meaningful comparison, keep the boundary, reference year and measurement type aligned. Do not treat a city total and a wider urban-area total as interchangeable.