Population around the county

Herefordshire has the fourth lowest population density in England, with 188,700 residents scattered all over its 842 square miles. Over half (100,800; 53%) live in areas defined as ‘rural’, with the majority of these (81,400 people; 43% of the total) in the most rural ‘village and dispersed’ areas. A third of the population live in Hereford city (61,900 people), and a fifth in one of the five market towns - Leominster (11,900), Ross (11,100), Ledbury (9,600), Bromyard (4,700) and Kington (3,200).

Herefordshire’s resident population grew more slowly over the last decade than the previous decade. The built-up and rural areas grew at a similar rate (by 2%) between 2011 and 2021. Between 2001 and 2011, the built-up areas of the county grew more rapidly (by 8%) than the rural areas (by 6%), the most rapid period of growth took place during the three years immediately following the eastward expansion of the European Union (EU) in 2004.

Hereford city has a much younger profile than the county as a whole, with relatively high proportions of young adults and young children. The most rural areas have relatively more people of older working and early retirement age (50-70 year olds). The market towns and other areas (including larger villages like Colwall and Credenhill) have a profile more similar to the county overall.