The population of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has grown by 4.9 per cent in the last decade, census data has revealed.

The Office for National Statistics has today published the first set of results for the 2021 Census of England and Wales.

Data shows that the nation's population is now the biggest it has ever been at 59.6 million people.

With the national growth rate at 6.3 per cent, the population in Kingston has grown slightly slower over the past ten years.

There are now 168,000 living in the borough compared to the 160,060 in 2011.

The data indicates the number of local residents aged 65 and over makes up 14.4 per cent of Kingston's population.

Residents aged 15 to 64 years account for 67.3 per cent and those under 15, 18.3 per cent.

Compared to the 4,296 people per square kilometre in 2011, data for 2021 represents a 5 per cent increase with it now standing at 4,509.

There are now 65,600 households in Kingston upon Thames compared to the 63,639 in 2011, an increase of 3.1 per cent.

The rounded estimates for local authorities published today will be followed by more detailed data in the autumn which will include information on faith and sexuality.

Population change between 2011 and 2021, local authorities in England and Wales:

National Results

Across the nation the population has increased by 3.5 million people since 2011 - a 6.3 per cent increase.

But that signals a slower rate of growth, with the last census showing a record 7.1 per cent increase from 2001.

The results published today also show that 18.6 per cent of the population is now aged 65 years and over - the highest recorded proportion for England and Wales.

ONS figures also show that 51.0 per cent of the population of England and Wales is female which is a slight rise from 50.8 in 2011.

A record 89 per cent of responses to the census were completed online - with 20 million households surveyed in total.

Added to census figures for Northern Ireland and a 2020 estimate of the Scottish population, there are now 66,966,400 people in the UK.

Population 1801 to 2021, England and Wales: