This section highlights a set of key figures that help to illustrate the scale and character of London's population, geography and economy.
Overview
London is the UK's most populous city, with a major international economy and a varied urban form spanning a large metropolitan area.
9.1m
Population
15.5% of the UK's total population
1,572 km2
Area of Greater London
£618bn
Size of the economy
22.7% of UK GDP at current market prices
People
London has a young, diverse and growing population
24%
Population growth since 2001
Compared with 18% for England and Wales
35.7
Median age
Compared with 40.3 in England and Wales
67%
Population aged 18 to 64
Compared with 60% in England and Wales
41%
Share of London residents born outside the UK
Up from 27% in 2001
55,000
Natural change in population in 2024
+ 106,000 births
- 51,000 deaths
35,000
Total net migration
+ 163,000 net international
- 128,000 net domestic
Place
London is a densely populated and highly networked city, with millions of homes, extensive transport infrastructure and a built environment that sits alongside a substantial green and blue landscape.
33
Local Authorities
32 boroughs plus the City of London
5,782
People per km2 in 2025
Compared to 450 people per km2 in England
~52%
Of London is green
Within this, 19.6% of London is covered by tree canopy, and ~18% of London is Public Open Space
3.85m
Number of homes
32,700 dwellings added in 2024/5
£2,280
Average rent
Compared to £1,434 in England
£552,304
Average house price
Compared to £290,000 in England
272
London Underground stations
The first on the Metropolitan Line dating back to 1863. Linking 402km of track.
~9,000
Buses
Operating across 675 routes and around 1.8bn annual bus journeys
431km
Strategic cycle network
Up from 90km in 2016
Economy
London is the UK’s largest regional economy in terms of size, employment and business activity.
6.4m
Jobs
37% in the Central Activities Zone. 749,000 added in total over the last decade
538,000
VAT and/or PAYE Businesses
19.7% of the businesses in the UK
£69,100
GDP per head
Compared with £40,400 for England
£43.6bn
London’s net fiscal contribution last reported in 2023
(taxes less spending)
£255bn
Value of London exports last reported in 2023
31% of the UK’s total export value of £867bn
£835
Gross median weekly earnings
Compared to £650 in England
Culture and global reach
London's cultural and international profile remains one of its defining characteristics.
20.9m
International visits in 2024
15.1m domestic visits
£17.3bn
International visitor spend in 2024
£5.5bn domestic visitor spend
40
Accredited Universities
Including Imperial College, LSE, UCL, King’s College
300+
Languages
Spoken every day across the capital
4
UNESCO world heritage sites
Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, Westminster Palace, Kew Royal Botanical Gardens
192
Museums
11 national museums including the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum