Population of Fareham

How many people live in Fareham and how the town has grown

The population of Fareham town is approximately 42,000, with the wider Fareham borough having a population of around 116,000. The borough figure includes the town itself along with Portchester, Titchfield, Stubbington, Locks Heath, Park Gate, Whiteley, and the surrounding villages and rural areas.

Fareham's population has grown significantly since the mid-twentieth century. The town centre population has remained relatively stable, but the suburban areas, particularly Locks Heath, Park Gate, and Whiteley, have seen substantial growth driven by new housebuilding. Whiteley in particular has added thousands of residents since the 1990s, and further growth is planned as the Whiteley Meadows development continues.

The post-war period saw the most dramatic change, as new estates filled in the farmland between the old town and the surrounding villages. What had been a relatively compact market town with outlying villages became, over the course of a few decades, a continuous built-up area stretching from Portchester in the east to Locks Heath in the west.

The demographic profile of the borough is broadly typical of a south Hampshire commuter town. The population skews slightly older than the national average, reflecting the attraction of the area to retirees and the established housing stock that suits older households. However, the newer developments at Whiteley and elsewhere have brought younger families and first-time buyers, and the age profile is more balanced than in some retirement-heavy coastal areas.

The working-age population is split between those employed locally and those commuting to Portsmouth, Southampton, or London. Fareham serves as a residential base for workers in both cities, with the railway and motorway providing the transport links that make this viable.

Ethnicity data from the 2021 Census shows Fareham borough as less diverse than the national average, with a predominantly White British population. The proportion of residents from ethnic minority backgrounds has increased over time but remains lower than in the neighbouring cities.

Household size has been declining in line with national trends, with more single-person and two-person households. This increases demand for smaller properties and has driven some of the conversion of larger houses to flats.

The population is projected to continue growing, driven primarily by new housebuilding in the borough's Local Plan allocation sites. The challenge for the borough council is to ensure that infrastructure, including schools, healthcare, roads, and community facilities, keeps pace with the growth. This tension between development pressure and infrastructure provision is one of the defining issues in Fareham's local politics and planning debates.