Oldham population, 2001–2024
Oldham has an estimated population of 251,560 (mid-2024), up 15.1% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the Oldham local authority area.
251,560
population, mid-2024
+15.1%
since 2001
+9.2%
last 10 years
2024
peak year (251,560)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 251,560 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 247,969 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 244,885 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 242,003 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 242,181 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 242,077 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 239,923 | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 237,161 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 235,021 | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 232,693 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 230,348 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 227,866 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 226,057 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 225,157 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 223,807 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 222,811 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 221,907 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 220,723 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 220,033 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 219,288 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 218,988 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 218,490 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 218,455 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 218,537 | — |
Food businesses
Oldham has 283 takeaways, 341 restaurants and cafés and 208 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.83 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 11.2 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the Oldham local authority area (code E08000004), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.