There are more women and older residents in the borough according to most recent census which had its first findings published today

The population of Blackburn with Darwen has increased according to the most recent census, with an increase in the number of women and people aged over 65, further signs of the borough's - and nation's - ageing population.

On census day, 154,800 people were living in the area – up five per cent from 147,489 the 2011 survey, when the last census was carried out.

It shows the balance of men and women in the area has changed – Blackburn with Darwen’s population is now 49.6 per cent male and 50.4 per cent female, meaning there is now a higher proportion of women in the area than 10 years ago.

In 2011, people living in Blackburn with Darwen were 49.9 per cent male and 50.1 per cent female.

It also shows the area is ageing – a decade ago the population was made up of 14.8 per cent under-10s and 12.9 per cent over-65s, but this had changed to 13.8 per cent and 14.5 per cent respectively by 2021.

Elsewhere in East Lancashire, 94,700 people lived in Burnley, 47,800 females and 46,800 males, on the day the census was taken - up nine per cent from 87,059 in 2011.

In Hyndburn, the Census recorded a population of 82,200 compared to a decade ago when it was 80,700. There were 41,800 women and 40,500 men.

Data shows that there were 95,800 people living in Pendle at the time of the census compared to 89,500 in 2011. This was made up of 48,400 women and 47,300 men.

In the Ribble Valley, the census recorded a population of 61,500 in 2021 compared to 57,100 in 2011. This was made up of 31,300 females and 30,200 males. -

In Rossendale, the population increased to 70,800 people at the time of the census compared to 68,000 in 2011. The current population is made up of 36,100 women and 34,700 men.

The population of England and Wales rose by 3.5 million to 59.6 million in the last decade, census data for 2021 has shown.

The 6.3 per cent increase signals a slowdown in population growth over the last 10 years, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The previous census in 2011 showed the number of people living in England and Wales rose by 7.8 per cent in the decade before.

Pete Benton, ONS deputy national statistician, said the figures “begin to paint a rich and detailed snapshot of the nation and how we were living during the pandemic”.

He said: “Since census day, the world has continued to change.

“People continue to move home, some people will have left the country, others will have arrived.

“People will have changed jobs, some of us now work in offices once again, while others continue to work from home.

“We need to understand all of this and more.”

The new figures showed nearly one-in-five people (18.6 per cent) is aged 65 and over, up from 16.4 per cent in 2011.

The ONS figures also show 51 per cent of the population is female, and 49 per cent is male, a change from 50.8 per cent female and 49.2 per cent male in 2011.

Data from the 2021 census for England and Wales will be published in stages over the next two years, the ONS said.

Future releases will include figures on ethnicity, religion, the labour market, education and housing plus, for the first time, information on UK armed forces veterans, sexual orientation and gender identity.