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Barnet, in numbers

People and living standards

Barnet council area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Barnet council area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 297,676 in 1991 to 408,087 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Barnet council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 302,952 people in 1996; 408,087 people in 2025. 34.7% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991297,676
1992296,900
1993296,553
1994297,330
1995298,968
1996302,952
1997304,634
1998308,345
1999313,469
2000315,784
2001319,481
2002320,552
2003321,802
2004323,723
2005327,541
2006330,801
2007334,837
2008339,212
2009345,829
2010351,438
2011357,538
2012363,260
2013368,611
2014373,853
2015377,826
2016382,925
2017384,117
2018387,574
2019390,590
2020391,046
2021388,955
2022391,926
2023399,842
2024406,198
2025408,087
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Barnet council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 62,297 people in 1996; 80,660 people in 2025. 29.5% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199158,959
199259,606
199360,203
199460,859
199561,429
199662,297
199762,525
199863,035
199963,956
200064,043
200163,808
200264,440
200365,265
200465,874
200566,745
200667,862
200768,934
200870,006
200971,549
201072,942
201174,441
201276,246
201377,227
201478,167
201578,599
201679,415
201780,057
201880,589
201980,596
202080,496
202179,666
202280,521
202381,516
202481,442
202580,660
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Barnet council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 194,474 people in 1996; 264,872 people in 2025. 36.2% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991191,204
1992190,099
1993189,452
1994189,912
1995191,250
1996194,474
1997196,369
1998199,794
1999203,809
2000206,252
2001210,191
2002210,907
2003211,538
2004212,936
2005215,947
2006218,401
2007221,358
2008224,157
2009228,299
2010231,634
2011235,392
2012237,971
2013241,321
2014244,668
2015247,324
2016250,663
2017250,640
2018252,727
2019254,914
2020254,890
2021252,723
2022253,708
2023259,090
2024263,817
2025264,872
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Barnet council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 46,181 people in 1996; 62,555 people in 2025. 35.5% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199147,513
199247,195
199346,898
199446,559
199546,289
199646,181
199745,740
199845,516
199945,704
200045,489
200145,482
200245,205
200344,999
200444,913
200544,849
200644,538
200744,545
200845,049
200945,981
201046,862
201147,705
201249,043
201350,063
201451,018
201551,903
201652,847
201753,420
201854,258
201955,080
202055,660
202156,566
202257,697
202359,236
202460,939
202562,555
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2021 census · 389,344 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Barnet · 2021
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh74,97219.3%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African30,6517.9%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups20,8895.4%
White224,76257.7%
Other ethnic group38,0709.8%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 356,386 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Barnet · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White228,55364.1%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups17,1694.8%
Asian/Asian British65,91818.5%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British27,4317.7%
Other ethnic group17,3154.9%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2001 census · 314,564 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Barnet · 2001
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White232,86874%
Mixed9,5083%
Asian/Asian British38,79512.3%
Black/Black British18,8596%
Chinese/Other14,5344.6%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 47.1% above the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Barnet council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £12,305 per person in 1997; £38,184 per person in 2024. 210.3% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
199712,305
199812,943
199913,625
200014,696
200115,247
200215,626
200316,445
200417,036
200518,032
200618,808
200719,991
200820,610
200920,284
201020,689
201120,728
201222,184
201323,217
201424,383
201527,048
201627,876
201728,402
201829,833
201930,232
202029,402
202131,478
202233,280
202335,635
202438,184
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Barnet council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: 16% in 1997; 47.1% in 2024. 31.1 percentage points higher.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Barnet council area: full reviewed history
Period%
199716
199819.5
199920.5
200023.5
200123.2
200223.5
200326.2
200425.5
200528.3
200628.4
200730.3
200830.9
200926.7
201028.1
201127.2
201231.3
201332.5
201434.8
201542.2
201644.8
201744.2
201846.2
201943.5
202040.1
202144.1
202244.9
202345.7
202447.1
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults in work

60.2%

21 March 2021 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

Source →

Households facing several disadvantages

17.4%

21 March 2021 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

All households

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Adults with no qualifications

15.4%

21 March 2021 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

Residents aged 16 and over

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

4%

21 March 2021 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Average home price

£601,000

July 2026 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Source →

Average monthly private rent

£1,949

August 2026 · Barnet council area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.