Ealing’s population falls for the first time since 2021

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that Ealing’s population dropped slightly in the year to mid-2025 — the first decline since 2021.

The borough’s estimated population stood at 387,072 in mid-2025, down 608 people from the previous year. While the overall fall was small (just 0.16%), the underlying numbers tell a clearer story. More than 7,000 more people left Ealing for other parts of the UK than moved in.

In total, 43,087 residents moved out to elsewhere in the country, while only 36,029 arrived from other UK areas. The net loss was partly offset by people arriving from abroad and by more births than deaths, but the outward flow of families was noticeable. Nearly 1,850 more children under 15 left the borough than arrived, along with significant numbers of adults in their 30s and early 40s.

London as a whole was the only region in England to record a population fall last year. Twenty-three of the capital’s 33 boroughs saw their numbers shrink. Ealing’s decline is modest compared with some central boroughs, but it marks a shift after several years of steady growth.

The figures do not break down the seven towns of Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale and Southall. Still, they raise familiar questions for many residents: high housing costs, pressure on local services, and whether the borough is becoming harder for families to stay in long-term.