St. Helens population, 2001–2024
St. Helens has an estimated population of 188,861 (mid-2024), up 6.8% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the St. Helens local authority area.
188,861
population, mid-2024
+6.8%
since 2001
+6.2%
last 10 years
2024
peak year (188,861)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 188,861 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 186,929 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 185,001 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 183,394 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 182,102 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 181,541 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 180,937 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 180,150 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 179,229 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 178,296 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 177,785 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 176,451 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 176,214 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 175,405 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 175,203 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 175,272 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 175,106 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 174,970 | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 175,199 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 175,361 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 175,738 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 175,997 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 176,295 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 176,826 | — |
Food businesses
St. Helens has 186 takeaways, 213 restaurants and cafés and 154 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.87 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 9.8 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the St. Helens local authority area (code E08000013), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.