Population growth

Demographic Profile

This section contains information about the population of Tower Hamlets. It examines trends in population growth as well as how the population is changing in terms of age, gender and ethnic diversity using data from the 2001 census. Life expectancy is examined using data from the Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust.

Population growth

• Population in Tower Hamlets is set to increase faster than the rest of London between now and 2011

The 2001 Census population total for Tower Hamlets was 196,106. Population growth up to 2001, for the ten years since the 1991 census, represented the second largest growth rate for this period of all the London Boroughs at 17.9%, or over 45,000 people. The City of London saw the largest percentage increase at 34.6%. Population growth in Tower Hamlets is predicted to accelerate further into the twenty-first century, outstripping growth in Greater London as well as in other Central London Boroughs (Figures 1-3). The Greater London Authority has estimated that by 2016, population will increase to nearly 300,000 due to a combination of natural population growth and the effect of regeneration initiatives.

Click here to view the population projections and percentage population increases (PDF 18k)

Tower Hamlets has been identified by ONS as an area where there is a significant risk of population under-estimate in the 2001 Census. This risk assessment is based on the high number of Census variables associated with undercount present in the borough. These include: the number of males aged between 25 and 39, multi-occupancy, unemployment, country of birth, number of dummy forms and the amount of private rented accommodation.

To adjust for these factors nationally ONS has issued several revised mid-year estimates (MYE) in the period since 2001.

Click here to see the Tower Hamlets ONS population estimates since the 2001 Census (PDF 12k)