Devon had 842,313 people in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year estimate for 2024, with a median age of 47. The latest census count for the Devon County Council area was 811,600 usual residents in 2021. These figures use different measures and dates: the ONS figure is an estimate, while the census figure is a count. The census geography also excludes the separate Plymouth and Torbay unitary authorities.
Contents
- Current population and recent growth
- How Devon’s districts changed
- Devon’s age profile
- Population density across the county
- Households and household size
- Population projections
Current population and recent growth
The ONS recorded Devon’s 2024 mid-year population estimate as 842,313 people. The same local estimate gives Devon a median age of 47 years. Because this is a mid-year estimate, it should not be treated as a like-for-like replacement for a census count. Source: Devon (E10000008) - ONS.
The 2021 Census counted 811,600 usual residents in the Devon County Council area. In the 2011 Census, the equivalent count was 746,400. Devon therefore gained 65,200 residents between the two censuses, an increase of 8.7%. These are usual-resident counts for the Devon County Council area, not a combined Devon, Plymouth and Torbay total. Source: Census 2021 Report Part 1 - Facts and Figures.
The 2021 population profile recorded 417,640 females and 394,040 males. Together, those figures describe the sex counts reported for the Devon County Council population profile. Source: Diversity Profile (Census) - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
The difference between 2011 and 2021 is useful for understanding the direction of travel, while the 2024 ONS estimate provides a more recent indication of population size. The measures should remain labelled separately: census results are counts at a census date, and the ONS result is a mid-year estimate.
How Devon’s districts changed
The 2021 Census comparison shows population growth in each of the eight districts listed below. East Devon had the largest absolute increase, gaining 18,400 residents from 132,400 in 2011 to 150,800 in 2021. Exeter grew from 117,800 to 130,800, an increase of 13,000.
| District | 2011 residents | 2021 residents | Change, 2011–2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Devon | 132,400 | 150,800 | +18,400 |
| Exeter | 117,800 | 130,800 | +13,000 |
| Mid Devon | 77,800 | 82,800 | +5,000 |
| North Devon | 93,600 | 98,600 | +5,100 |
| South Hams | 83,100 | 88,600 | +5,500 |
| Teignbridge | 124,300 | 134,800 | +10,500 |
| Torridge | 63,900 | 68,100 | +4,900 |
| West Devon | 53,500 | 57,100 | +3,600 |
Teignbridge had 134,800 residents in 2021, up 10,500 from 124,300 in 2011. South Hams rose from 83,100 to 88,600, a gain of 5,500, while North Devon rose from 93,600 to 98,600, a gain of 5,100. Mid Devon increased by 5,000, from 77,800 to 82,800.
Torridge had 68,100 residents in 2021, compared with 63,900 in 2011, an increase of 4,900. West Devon had the smallest absolute increase among these districts, rising by 3,600 from 53,500 to 57,100. All district figures in this section are 2011 and 2021 Census comparisons. Source: Census 2021 Report Part 1 - Facts and Figures.
Devon’s age profile
The 2021 Census age profile shows a substantial older population alongside sizeable working-age groups. The largest listed band was ages 50 to 64, with 174,769 residents, or 21.5% of the Devon County Council population. Ages 35 to 49 accounted for 134,032 residents, or 16.5%.
Residents aged 65 to 74 numbered 109,049, representing 13.4%. The 75 to 84 group contained 71,152 residents, or 8.8%, while 29,193 residents were aged 85 years and over, representing 3.6%. These three older age bands together show the scale of later-life population in the 2021 profile, but the percentages are retained as reported rather than recalculated.
| Age band | Residents | Share of Devon County Council population |
|---|---|---|
| 4 years and under | 35,345 | 4.4% |
| 5 to 9 years | 41,294 | 5.1% |
| 10 to 15 years | 51,534 | 6.3% |
| 16 to 19 years | 36,500 | 4.5% |
| 20 to 24 years | 44,202 | 5.4% |
| 25 to 34 years | 84,568 | 10.4% |
| 35 to 49 years | 134,032 | 16.5% |
| 50 to 64 years | 174,769 | 21.5% |
| 65 to 74 years | 109,049 | 13.4% |
| 75 to 84 years | 71,152 | 8.8% |
| 85 years and over | 29,193 | 3.6% |
The younger bands included 35,345 children aged four and under, 41,294 aged five to nine, and 51,534 aged 10 to 15. There were 36,500 residents aged 16 to 19, 44,202 aged 20 to 24, and 84,568 aged 25 to 34. Source: Diversity Profile (Census) - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Population density across the county
Population density varies sharply between Devon’s districts. In the 2021 Census comparison, Exeter had 2,783 people per square kilometre. This was far higher than the Devon County Council area figure of 124 people per square kilometre and the England figure of 434 people per square kilometre.
Teignbridge recorded 200 people per square kilometre and East Devon 185. South Hams had 100, while Mid Devon and North Devon each had 91. Torridge had 69, and West Devon had the lowest listed density at 49 people per square kilometre.
These measurements help distinguish population totals from settlement pattern. A district can have a sizeable population while remaining relatively sparse when its residents are spread across a large area. The figures are 2021 Census comparison data, and the England benchmark is included for context. Source: Census 2021 Report Part 1 - Facts and Figures.
Households and household size
The Devon County Council area contained 352,622 households in the detailed 2021 household-size table. Average household size was 2.30 people in Devon, compared with 2.41 in England.
One-person households were the largest reported household-size category, at 107,229. Two-person households numbered 137,589. The remaining reported categories were 49,090 three-person households, 40,024 four-person households, and 12,978 five-person households.
The table also recorded 3,913 six-person households, 1,116 seven-person households and 683 eight-person households. These categories describe the household-size distribution in 2021; they are not a forecast of future household formation.
The combination of an average household size below the England figure and a large one-person household count is an important part of Devon’s population picture. Household totals and resident totals measure different things: a household is a housing unit, while a resident count covers people living in the area. Source: Census 2021 Report Part 1 - Facts and Figures.
Population projections
Devon County Council’s planning series put the Devon area population at 814,000 in 2023, projecting 838,400 residents in 2028 and 858,100 in 2033. These planning figures are projections based on past trends and do not account for district planning policy, so they should be read as a scenario rather than a guaranteed future count. Source: Demographics - Planning.
The same planning series projected East Devon to grow from 144,100 residents in 2023 to 151,300 in 2033. Exeter was projected to rise from 132,100 to 141,700. Mid Devon was projected to increase from 85,300 to 90,600, while North Devon was projected to grow from 99,300 to 103,400. South Hams was projected to rise from 88,600 to 92,400 over the same 2023–2033 period.
The longer-term ageing projections point to a changing age balance. The projected number of Devon residents aged 65 and over rises from 225,000 to 301,000 by 2043. The projected share aged 75 and over increases from 13.7% in 2024 to 18.4% in 2043.
The projected working-age-to-older-person ratio falls from 2.21 in 2023 to 1.71 in 2043. These ageing figures are ONS-based sub-national projections reproduced in Devon’s 2023/24 public-health report. They are projections, not counts of residents already recorded. Source: 2023/24: Health in an ageing Devon - Public health in Devon.