Bradford's 2026 population is now estimated at 570,186. In 2025, the population of Bradford was 566,886. Bradford has grown by 3,300 in the last year, which represents a 0.58% annual change. These population values and projections come from World Population Review Internal Projections .
Bradford is located in West Yorkshire, England in the United Kingdom. It is a metropolitan borough that is part of the City of Bradford, which encompasses Bradford and surrounding areas. The city was first designated as a borough in 1847 before receiving a city charter 50 years later. The population of Bradford is estimated to be 534,300 per 2017 estimates.
The city has a history wrought and spun from textile work and was one of the most important cities during the Industrial Revolution. While the textile industry later began to decline, the city now has a prosperous tourism industry and is famous for its many landmarks and attractions.
The city of Bradford covers 64.4 square kilometers and has a population density of 3,468 people living per square kilometer.
One of the most interesting things about Bradford’s population is that it has one of the youngest communities in the United Kingdom, after London. It also has one of the fastest-growing populations.
According to the last UK Census taken in 2011, the population was mostly comprised of White people, which made up 63.9% of the population. Over one-quarter of the population is Asian, while black, mixed races, and other races make up less than 1% of the population, respectively. The city has one of the highest percentages of South Asians in the country.
Over 45% of people are Christian, while nearly one-quarter is Muslim. 20.7% do not follow a religion.
There are significant economic differences throughout the city. Some of the neighborhoods are some of the poorest in the country, while some are quite prosperous.
Other notable facts about the city’s citizens are that infant mortality and congenital disability rates exceed the national average, while life expectancy also falls below average. It is interesting to note that one of the contributing factors to the high rate of birth defects is the number of children born to mothers older than 34.
The settlement of Bradford is believed to have been established during the Saxon times. Early evidence shows that the small town was home to a mill during the 1300s, which led to prosperous times for Bradford. The Civil War had an impact on the economy, but it began to bounce back during the late 1600s. Manufacturing made its arrival during the 18th century, which led to economic prosperity, along with the development of a road and canal for trading.
Through the late 1700s into the early 1900s, iron was an essential industry for Bradford. The city also had a coal mine and was one of the leading producers of coal and iron throughout Yorkshire. During the Industrial Revolution, the textile industry flourished, and the city became known as the wool capital of the world. The city continued to expand into other sectors including the automotive industry.
The textile industry has declined in recent years, but the city has continued to bring in new industries and businesses. Provident Financial, British Wool Marketing Board, and Morrison Supermarket headquarters are all located in Bradford. The city has also been designated as a UNESCO City of Film for film production and technology and is home to an expansive shopping complex and a multimillion-dollar city park.
Bradford’s population was estimated to be 534,300 by the Office for National Statistics as of June 2017. This reflects a growth of 0.6% since 2016. The previous year saw similar increase. Though the number of births exceeded the number of deaths, the number of people leaving the country to live elsewhere in the UK and a lower rate of immigration has led to a slow rate of growth.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| London | 9,188,200 | 0.54% |
| Birmingham | 1,199,447 | 0.67% |
| Leeds | 860,894 | 0.92% |
| Glasgow | 663,221 | 0.99% |
| Manchester | 605,521 | 1.34% |
| Cornwall | 591,594 | 0.71% |
| Sheffield | 588,768 | 0.54% |
| Bradford | 570,186 | 0.58% |
| County Durham | 543,515 | 0.51% |
| Edinburgh | 540,101 | 0.88% |
| Wiltshire | 531,890 | 0.78% |
| Liverpool | 518,060 | 0.89% |
| Bristol | 504,401 | 1.01% |
| Kirklees | 451,654 | 0.42% |
| Cheshire East | 431,445 | 1.2% |
| Croydon | 415,854 | 0.79% |
| Barnet | 411,361 | 0.78% |
| Leicester | 397,462 | 1.17% |
| Ealing | 392,217 | 0.8% |
| Cardiff | 391,495 | 0.98% |