What is the population of Birmingham?
Birmingham's metropolitan area has about 2,915,000 people, making it the 109th largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.
Metro population
2,915,000
0.035% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual growth
+0.55%
About 44 people a day
Archive estimateDensity
4,874/km²
598 km² metro area
City proper
1,157,603
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNamesAbout Birmingham
With a metropolitan population of 2,915,000, Birmingham is the second-largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The city proper contains 1,157,603 residents across a dense area of 4,874 people per km². Annual population growth stands at 0.6%, indicating gradual expansion.
Situated at 149 m elevation in the English Midlands, Birmingham has been established since 601. Three major airports serve the region: Birmingham Airport (BHX), East Midlands Airport (EMA), and Manchester Airport (MAN), providing extensive transport connections.
This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Key Facts
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Continent
- Europe
- World rank
- #109 of 140
- Share of country
- 4.2%
- Founded
- 601
- Leadership
- Yvonne Mosquito
- Elevation
- 149 m
- Coordinates
- 52.481, -1.900
Airports
Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.
- Birmingham AirportBHX
11 km from the city centre
- East Midlands AirportEMA
55 km from the city centre
- Manchester AirportMAN
100 km from the city centre
Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.
Compared with the World's Largest Cities
Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.
| Name | Metro population |
|---|---|
| Tokyo | 37.4M |
| Delhi | 32.9M |
| Shanghai | 29.2M |
| São Paulo | 22.6M |
| Dhaka | 22.5M |
| Mexico City | 22.3M |
| Cairo | 22.2M |
| Mumbai | 21.7M |
| Beijing | 21.5M |
| Osaka | 19M |
| New York | 18.9M |
| Karachi | 17.1M |
| Kinshasa | 17.1M |
| Chongqing | 16.9M |
| Lagos | 15.9M |
| Birmingham | 2.92M |
Population Trend in United Kingdom
No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 50,121,017 |
| 1960 | 52,538,548 |
| 1970 | 55,663,801 |
| 1980 | 56,282,103 |
| 1990 | 57,367,862 |
| 2000 | 59,057,338 |
| 2010 | 63,006,483 |
| 2020 | 67,351,861 |
| 2030 | 71,286,992 |
| 2040 | 73,774,626 |
| 2050 | 75,504,681 |
| 2060 | 76,010,356 |
| 2070 | 76,049,084 |
| 2080 | 75,956,251 |
| 2090 | 75,378,279 |
| 2100 | 74,305,411 |
Other Major Cities in United Kingdom
2 more cities in our dataset.
- London9.54M · +0.45%
- Manchester2.73M · +0.45%
Nearest Major Cities
Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.
Birmingham Population FAQ
What is the difference between Birmingham's city and metro population?
About 1,157,603 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 2,915,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.
Is Birmingham growing or shrinking?
Birmingham is growing at +0.55% a year.
What share of United Kingdom's population lives in Birmingham?
Birmingham's metro area holds about 4.2% of United Kingdom's total population.
How densely populated is Birmingham?
Birmingham has roughly 4,874 people per km² across a metro area of about 598 km².
Which airports serve Birmingham?
The nearest major airports are Birmingham Airport (BHX), East Midlands Airport (EMA), Manchester Airport (MAN).
Which country is Birmingham in?
Birmingham is in United Kingdom, in Europe.
Explore More Cities
- #1 TokyoJapan · 37.4M · −0.14%
- #2 DelhiIndia · 32.9M · +2.78%
- #3 ShanghaiChina · 29.2M · +0.86%
- #4 São PauloBrazil · 22.6M · +0.75%
- #5 DhakaBangladesh · 22.5M · +2.89%
- #6 Mexico CityMexico · 22.3M · +0.80%