Somerset’s population was estimated at 588,328 in mid-2024. The latest ONS series shows growth from 465,677 in mid-1991, while Census 2021 provides a detailed picture of the county’s age structure, places, communities and characteristics. Together, these sources describe a largely rural population with a substantial older age profile and clear differences between local areas.
Contents
- Somerset population estimates over time
- Change between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses
- Age and sex structure
- Where people live
- Ethnicity and religion
- Disability, caring and veteran characteristics
- Gender identity and marital status
Somerset population estimates over time
The ONS mid-year estimate series for the current Somerset unitary authority shows a long-term rise in population. Somerset had 465,677 residents in mid-1991 and 498,707 in mid-2001. By mid-2011, the estimate had reached 531,581.
The next estimates in the series were 554,806 in mid-2016 and 564,987 in mid-2019. The mid-2020 estimate was 566,310, followed by 573,100 in mid-2021, 577,349 in 2022, 582,962 in 2023 and 588,328 in 2024. These are estimates measured at the middle of each year, rather than Census counts taken on a single Census day. The source is Total population - ONS.
The ONS series refers to the current Somerset unitary authority code E06000066. A 2023 geography change created that authority by merging Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, and Somerset West and Taunton. This geography point matters when comparing the estimates with older local-authority statistics: the boundaries and administrative unit should be identified before treating figures as directly comparable.
Change between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses
The former Somerset West and Taunton area grew from around 144,900 residents in 2011 to around 157,400 in 2021. Over that Census period, its population increased by 8.7%, above the South West’s 7.8% increase. These figures describe the former local-authority area, not the whole current Somerset unitary authority.
Sedgemoor also recorded population growth of around 9.4% between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses. In the 2021 Census comparison, the former Somerset West and Taunton area ranked 129th for total population among 309 English local authorities. It moved up five population-rank places between the two Censuses.
The area remained relatively spacious by regional standards. In 2021, the former Somerset West and Taunton area was the eighth least densely populated of the South West’s 30 local authorities. Its older population also increased notably: the number of residents aged 65 and over rose by 26.2% between 2011 and 2021. These local findings are reported by Somerset West and Taunton population change, Census 2021 - ONS.
Age and sex structure
Census 2021 shows a broad age profile, with the largest published ten-year group being residents aged 50 to 59: 87,763 people, or 14.83% of the population. The 60-to-69 group included 74,689 people, or 13.06%, while 67,147 people aged 70 to 79 represented 11.75%. There were 38,613 residents aged 80 and over, representing 6.76%.
The younger and working-age groups were also substantial. Somerset had 57,579 residents aged 0 to 9, or 10.07%, and 62,451 aged 10 to 19, or 10.93%. The 20-to-29 group contained 56,495 people, or 9.88%. There were 64,596 residents aged 30 to 39, representing 11.30%, and 65,216 aged 40 to 49, representing 11.41%.
| Age group | Residents | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 57,579 | 10.07% |
| 10 to 19 | 62,451 | 10.93% |
| 20 to 29 | 56,495 | 9.88% |
| 30 to 39 | 64,596 | 11.30% |
| 40 to 49 | 65,216 | 11.41% |
| 50 to 59 | 87,763 | 14.83% |
| 60 to 69 | 74,689 | 13.06% |
| 70 to 79 | 67,147 | 11.75% |
| 80 and over | 38,613 | 6.76% |
The sex profile recorded an estimated female population of 292,100, or 51% of all residents. The male population represented 49%. In total, Somerset had 12,653 more women than men according to the Census 2021 sex profile. These age and sex figures come from the Somerset Profile, based on Census 2021.
Where people live
Census 2021 population was distributed across four former local-authority areas. South Somerset was the largest, with 172,700 residents, equal to 30.2% of Somerset’s population. Somerset West and Taunton had 157,400 residents, or 27.5%. Sedgemoor had 125,400, or 21.9%, and Mendip had 116,100, or 20.3%.
| Area | Census 2021 population | Share of Somerset |
|---|---|---|
| Mendip | 116,100 | 20.3% |
| Sedgemoor | 125,400 | 21.9% |
| South Somerset | 172,700 | 30.2% |
| Somerset West and Taunton | 157,400 | 27.5% |
The profile also separates Somerset’s population into rural and urban categories. The rural population was estimated at 274,343 people, or 48% of the total. The urban population was estimated at 297,204, or 52%. These published figures provide a useful high-level description of settlement patterns, although the local-area figures above use the Census 2021 geography labels and the later ONS estimate series uses the current unitary-authority geography.
The Somerset Council profile notes minor base differences between tables: 571,549 versus 571,547. Those figures are retained as published rather than reconciled by calculation. This is one reason to treat each percentage and count as a reported statistic with its stated Census 2021 scope.
Ethnicity and religion
The White ethnic group accounted for 550,971 Somerset residents, or 96.4% of the population, in Census 2021. The Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh group accounted for 8,573 residents, or 1.5%. Mixed or multiple ethnic groups accounted for 7,430 residents, or 1.3%.
The Black, Black British, Caribbean or African group accounted for 2,286 residents, or 0.4%. Other ethnic groups accounted for 2,288 residents, also 0.4%. These categories are reported as published in the Somerset Profile and describe Census 2021 responses.
Christianity was reported by 286,700 residents, or 50.2%, while no religion was reported by 237,200, or 41.5%. Religion was not stated by 37,400 people, or 6.5%. The smaller reported religion categories included Islam, with 2,570 residents or 0.45%; Buddhism, with 1,940 or 0.34%; Hinduism, with 1,090 or 0.19%; Judaism, with 460 or 0.08%; and Sikhism, with 170 or 0.03%.
Disability, caring and veteran characteristics
Census 2021 recorded 106,900 Somerset residents, or 18.7%, whose day-to-day activities were limited by a disability or long-term condition. A further 45,150 residents, or 7.9%, had a long-term condition but no activity limitation. The profile recorded 419,500 residents, or 73.4%, reporting no long-term condition or disability.
Unpaid care was reported by 56,000 people, representing 9.8% of the all-age population. A further 515,500 residents, or 90.2%, did not provide unpaid care. The veteran population was 27,902 people, representing 4.9% of Somerset’s population.
These measures describe different aspects of population characteristics: a long-term condition is not necessarily accompanied by a day-to-day activity limitation, and unpaid-care status is a separate Census measure. The counts and percentages are not combined here because the profile publishes them as distinct categories.
Gender identity and marital status
Among Somerset residents aged 16 and over, 1,662 people, or 0.35%, reported a gender identity different from the sex registered at birth in Census 2021. Gender identity was not answered by 27,072 residents aged 16 and over, or 5.7%.
Marital-status figures show 147,231 residents aged 16 and over who had never married or registered a civil partnership, representing 31.0%. There were 230,821 married residents aged 16 and over, or 48.6%. More than 1,000 residents aged 16 and over were in a registered civil partnership.
The gender-identity and marital-status measures use their stated age scopes, so they should not be read as percentages of the all-age Somerset population. All of these figures are from the Somerset Profile and refer to Census 2021.