Waltham Forest population, 2001–2024
Waltham Forest has an estimated population of 279,737 (mid-2024), up 26.0% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the Waltham Forest local authority area.
279,737
population, mid-2024
+26.0%
since 2001
+3.4%
last 10 years
2019
peak year (281,015)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 279,737 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 278,506 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 275,847 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 278,147 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 279,527 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 281,015 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 279,795 | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 278,105 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 277,081 | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 274,579 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 270,606 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 267,963 | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 263,575 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 259,742 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 254,009 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 248,140 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 242,098 | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 235,665 | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 230,731 | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 226,747 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 225,002 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 224,115 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 223,776 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 222,015 | — |
Food businesses
Waltham Forest has 272 takeaways, 603 restaurants and cafés and 89 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.45 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 9.7 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the Waltham Forest local authority area (code E09000031), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.