Middlesbrough's population falls by 1,905 in a year

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 17:02 · Archive

Middlesbrough saw a 1.2% population decline from mid-2024 to mid-2025, losing nearly 1,905 residents, making it the only local authority in the North East to shrink.

Middlesbrough's population fell from 154,700 in mid-2024 to 152,795 by mid-2025, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. The 1.2% decline made it the only local authority in the North East to experience a population drop during this period. Most areas in the north saw their populations rise: Hartlepool grew by 1.8%, while Stockton's population increased by 1,140 people to 207,158 and Redcar and Cleveland grew by 0.5% to 139,541. Across the UK, the population rose by 0.3% to 69.5 million in the year to mid-2025.

Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said the decline could be attributed to housing issues or potential changes to university rules, suggesting that Teesside University or another local institution may have been a factor if neighbouring areas had not experienced similar falls. Middlesbrough is the smallest and most densely populated local authority in the North East.

How it is being reported

• Middlesbrough alone in North East as population drops by almost 2,000 peopleMiddlesbrough saw the North’s greatest percentage decline in its population, official statistics have revealed.The Northern Echo · 15 Oct, 16:00
• Middlesbrough sees greatest population decline in the North of England - but why?The town lost nearly 2,000 residents in the space of a year, official figures showTeessideLive · 15 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Middlesbrough · Office for National Statistics · Chris Cooke · Teesside University · Hartlepool · North East

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem