Belfast: local statistics
Belfast is a local government district in Northern Ireland, home to an estimated 351,927 people (mid-2025). This page brings together 7 official figures for the area, each with its period, publisher and the address it was read from. See also who has power over Belfast, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
In 2022 to 2024, women in Belfast had a life expectancy at birth of 80.5 years; for men it was 76.5 (Northern Ireland: 82.6 and 78.8). Since 2012 to 2014 it has changed by -0.5 years for women and +0.6 for men. It is the lowest for women of the 11 council areas in Northern Ireland.
A typical home in Belfast cost £184,768 in July 2026, on the UK House Price Index, a rise of 7.7% in twelve months. That is the 2nd lowest in Northern Ireland; the average for Northern Ireland was £202,487. Prices are 65% above July 2016 and at their highest July level in the series.
The ONS counted 15,745 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses in Belfast in March 2026, 16% more than in 2016. There are 45 per 1,000 residents, close to the middle of the 11 council areas in Northern Ireland (7th highest).
In August 2026, 8,980 people in Belfast were on the claimant count, 3.9% of residents aged 16 to 64; the rate for Northern Ireland was 2.9%. Twelve months before, it was 4.0%. The five-year high was 5.4% (August 2021); the low was 3.7% (July 2026).
The median full-time employee living in Belfast was paid £727.20 a week before tax in April 2025. It is the 3rd highest in Northern Ireland, and 1.6% more than across Northern Ireland. Jobs based in Belfast paid a median £766.60 a week, £39.40 more than the figure for people who live there.
The ONS estimates that 351,927 people lived in Belfast in mid-2025, down 0.1% on mid-2024. The ten-year change since mid-2015 is +3.4%; Northern Ireland grew by 4.0% over the same years. That is close to the middle of the 11 council areas in Northern Ireland (7th fastest growth). The series peaked at 352,390 in mid-2024.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 340,194 |
| 2016 | 341,111 |
| 2017 | 341,915 |
| 2018 | 343,690 |
| 2019 | 345,391 |
| 2020 | 344,994 |
| 2021 | 344,992 |
| 2022 | 348,005 |
| 2023 | 350,533 |
| 2024 | 352,390 |
| 2025 | 351,927 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £111,957 |
| July 2017 | £115,554 |
| July 2018 | £121,513 |
| July 2019 | £126,056 |
| July 2020 | £129,244 |
| July 2021 | £141,823 |
| July 2022 | £154,405 |
| July 2023 | £156,540 |
| July 2024 | £167,277 |
| July 2025 | £177,759 |
| July 2026 | £184,768 |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 81.0 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 81.0 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 81.1 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 80.9 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 81.0 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 80.8 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 80.4 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 80.4 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 80.4 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 80.6 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 80.5 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 13,630 |
| 2017 | 13,730 |
| 2018 | 14,065 |
| 2019 | 14,370 |
| 2020 | 14,730 |
| 2021 | 14,880 |
| 2022 | 15,045 |
| 2023 | 14,975 |
| 2024 | 15,125 |
| 2025 | 15,465 |
| 2026 | 15,745 |
Questions about Belfast
What is life expectancy in Belfast?
For 2022 to 2024 the ONS gives 76.5 years for men and 80.5 for women.
What is the average house price in Belfast?
HM Land Registry's figure for July 2026 is £184,768.
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in Belfast?
8,980 in August 2026 (3.9% of residents aged 16 to 64), on the ONS claimant count, which is not the unemployment rate.
What is the average salary in Belfast?
£727.20 a week before tax, the median for full-time employees who live there (April 2025, NISRA).
What is the population of Belfast?
The ONS estimates 351,927 people lived in Belfast in mid-2025.
Who has power over Belfast
Every body that makes decisions for Belfast, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 3: Local councils
- Belfast council this page
- Belfast in official figures this page
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
- Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive makes law for Northern Ireland on devolved subjects
Level 6: National government
- Belfast East: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) MP
- Belfast North: John Finucane (Sinn Féin) MP
- Belfast South and Mid Down: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party) MP
- Belfast West: Paul Maskey (Sinn Féin) MP
- North Down: Alex Easton (Independent) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
Each value above links to the official file or query it was read from, on 14 October 2026. What each figure measures.
- Average house price: Northern Ireland figures come from Land & Property Services.
- Median full-time pay (residents): Read from “Home LGD14 Table 8 (NI).1 Weekly pay - Gross 2025.ods” in the NISRA tables.
- Median full-time pay (jobs here): Read from “Work LGD14 Table 7 (NI).1 Weekly pay - Gross 2025.ods” in the NISRA tables.
More on this area and these figures
- Figures for Northern Ireland
- UK figures: Life expectancy at birth (UK) · UK average house price · UK unemployment rate
- Other council areas in Northern Ireland: Ards and North Down · Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon · Derry City and Strabane · Lisburn and Castlereagh · Mid Ulster · Newry, Mourne and Down
Related questions
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Figures checked 14 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.