Leicester's 2026 population is now estimated at 397,462. In 2025, the population of Leicester was 392,879. Leicester has grown by 4,583 in the last year, which represents a 1.17% annual change. These population values and projections come from World Population Review Internal Projections .
Leicester is not just one of the largest cities in England, it is also one of the oldest. The city dates to the first century B.C. and now owes its popularity to several factors. Leicester is located on two main rail lines running through the heart of the country and has had some recent fame from winning the 2016 Premier League – the first English winner in quite a few decades. The population of Leicester is certainly booming, and this ancient city looks likely to grow for the foreseeable future.
England carries out a new census every ten years. The last poll was in 2011 with the previous census having been completed in 2001. The 2011 census showed that the current population had reached 329,939. That was an 11.8% increase from the 2001 census.
The area that the city of Leicester covers comes to a total of 73.3 square kilometers (28.3 square miles).
The population density of Leicester shows that the city is currently quite popular as there are 4,494 people per kilometer (12,000 people per square mile) in the city. These numbers do not include the outlying suburban areas of Leicester where the overall population is substantially higher at 509,000.
The religious aspects of Leicester are not as diverse as other cities throughout the world, but this is changing as more and more people convert to other religions, and the population continues to grow.
Currently, Christianity dominates at 32.4% of the overall population. The second religion that is popular in Leicester is Islam, with Muslims making up 18.6% of the population. Hindus are close to Muslims at 15.2% and growing with each passing year. Other religions in Leicester representing smaller proportions of the people are Sikhs at 4.4%, Buddhism at .4% and Jews at .1% of the overall population. Other religions make up .6% of the population and, at 22.8%, a significant number of the community claims to have no religious affiliation.
Leicester has not become a popular city only because of its proximity to the rail lines. Its popularity also has a lot to do with the educational opportunities in the city.
The statistics show that only 8% of the overall population of Leicester lacks at least a high school diploma. Those that have had some high school education or graduated are at 14.3%. The largest percentage are individuals that have had some college education in apprenticeships and trade schools at 31.5%. Associates degrees make up 12.3% of the population, while bachelor degrees make up 23.9%. Those working towards advanced degrees do find themselves in a minority position as only 10% of the population pursues graduate degrees of some form.
In some cities, crime rates are not something that is commonly talked about, but Leicester is quite a different story. The crime rates for all the standard crimes in the city are actually below the national average. The only exception to that rule is the number of anti-social crimes in Leicester. That is certainly not bad for a city of this size.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| London | 9,188,200 | 0.54% |
| Birmingham | 1,199,447 | 0.67% |
| Leeds | 860,894 | 0.92% |
| Glasgow | 663,221 | 0.99% |
| Manchester | 605,521 | 1.34% |
| Cornwall | 591,594 | 0.71% |
| Sheffield | 588,768 | 0.54% |
| Bradford | 570,186 | 0.58% |
| County Durham | 543,515 | 0.51% |
| Edinburgh | 540,101 | 0.88% |
| Wiltshire | 531,890 | 0.78% |
| Liverpool | 518,060 | 0.89% |
| Bristol | 504,401 | 1.01% |
| Kirklees | 451,654 | 0.42% |
| Cheshire East | 431,445 | 1.2% |
| Croydon | 415,854 | 0.79% |
| Barnet | 411,361 | 0.78% |
| Leicester | 397,462 | 1.17% |
| Ealing | 392,217 | 0.8% |
| Cardiff | 391,495 | 0.98% |