Colchester population, 2001–2024
Colchester has an estimated population of 200,222 (mid-2024), up 28.3% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the Colchester local authority area.
200,222
population, mid-2024
+28.3%
since 2001
+11.0%
last 10 years
2024
peak year (200,222)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 200,222 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 198,497 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 194,475 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 192,658 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 191,979 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 190,470 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 189,101 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 187,177 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 185,361 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 183,242 | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 180,414 | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 177,308 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 175,840 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 173,614 | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 171,679 | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 169,027 | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 167,927 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 165,674 | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 163,847 | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 162,038 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 158,652 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 157,164 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 156,055 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 156,016 | — |
Food businesses
Colchester has 141 takeaways, 506 restaurants and cafés and 92 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.28 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 7.0 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the Colchester local authority area (code E07000071), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.