The Borough and The Council

Barking & Dagenham - The Place

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is located at the heart of the Thames Gateway, 11 miles east of central London.

The population of Barking and Dagenham rose from 166,000 in 2001 to 187,000 in 2011, and to an estimated 214,000 in 2020. The population is forecast to be 227,000 by 2024, rising to 295,000 by 2039.

Change is everywhere, and the Council remains committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and establishing a ‘one borough’ sense of community.
We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive borough. Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses the proportion of the population from black and minority ethnic backgrounds increased from 19% to 51%. That proportion is estimated as 67% in 2021.

Like other London boroughs, there is also rapid movement of people: between 1st July 2018 and 30th June 2020 approximately 35,000 residents came to the borough, and roughly 38,000 left, meaning that the proportion of population churn during these two years equated to just over a third (34%) of the total population.

The age profile of the population is also changing. Barking & Dagenham has the highest proportion of people aged under 16 in the whole of the United Kingdom.

We are a young, rapidly growing and increasingly diverse borough. Diversity brings a range of challenges and we know our aspirations need to reflect that, to achieve the borough’s potential for the benefit of all, so that no one is left behind.

To find out more about our borough, wards and residents, click on this link: About the borough.