Oxford's 2026 population is now estimated at 167,837.In 2025, the population of Oxford was 166,933.Oxford has grown by 904 in the last year, which represents a 0.54% annual change.These population values and projections come from World Population Review Internal Projections.
Oxford is one of the most well-known cities as millions of people have heard of - or even marveled at - the illustrious Oxford University.
While it is true that some of the most intelligent minds in the world have graced its hallowed halls, there is much more to this city than the famous university. Oxford is also the 52nd largest city in the United Kingdom, and is home to technological advancements and a thriving economy that grows stronger each year.
The city of Oxford covers a total surface area of 45.59 kilometers squared (17.60 square miles). With the number of residents continuing to grow over time, the population density currently comes to about 3,270 residents per square kilometer (8,500 people living per square mile).
The overall population of Oxford according to a mid-year 2016 estimate is 161,300. Oxford is a large city with an actively growing economy.
One-third of the population is between the ages of 18 to 29 and, according to the numbers, this ranks the city as the twelfth fastest growing city in the UK.
The minority population within Oxford is higher than in most other cities in England and Wales. It maintains the third highest population of minorities in all of southeast England, and approximately 20% of residents were born in other countries throughout the world.
The city of Oxford is not just about education. While there are over 32,000 students attending the two universities and Oxford maintains the highest population of full-time student adults, the industries within the city not just education-related.
There are 4,750 different businesses throughout Oxford providing over 120,000 jobs to both residents of the city as well as students looking for part time work. In fact, there are more jobs than residents of the city at a ratio of 1 to 17 (when including children and retired individuals). Beyond education, some of the most popular industries in Oxford are health, research, tourism, car manufacturing, technology, and publishing.
One of the most interesting facts about Oxford is that it has a very diverse religious culture. As with most areas of the UK, Christianity is the most widespread religion, but an interesting fact emerges when comparing the 2001 and 2011 census data.
According to the 2001 numbers, 71.6% of residents claimed to be Christian, but by 2011 that rate had dropped to 59.3%. Conversely, those claiming no religious affiliation rose from 15.5% to 25.1%. Other religions saw an increase as well. Islam rose from 2.7% to 4.8% between 2001 and 2011, Sikhism went from .6% to .8% and Buddhism rose from .3% to .4%. Judaism remained the same at .5%.
Amusingly, in 2001 .7% of the population claimed to be Jedi Knights (a statistic that may be lost on those who are not Star Wars fans), although this number declined to .3% in 2011. Other religious affiliations do exist within the city, but the numbers were too small to be counted among the percentages.
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% |