The South West of England is home to 5 million people, equivalent to 8.6% of Britain's population. This represents an increase of 3.9% in the total population since 1991 outstripping the 2.5% rate for Britain as a whole. Much of the growth is due to migration into the region from elsewhere in the UK.

Around two-thirds of people who move to the South West are of working-age although the region is also popular as a retirement destination which gives the region's population a distinctive age profile. Almost 22% of the region's population are over 65 years of age.  
 
The South West is a predominantly rural region but with a number of major urban centres, namely Bristol with over 400,000 people, Bournemouth & Poole with over 300,000, and Plymouth with a population of over 250,000. The urban and rural parts of the region combine to provide a diverse economic base for the region while creating distinct regional disparities.

For details of the current position and trends please view the Regional Observatory's State of the South West 2009, a comprehensive review of the South West of England's economic, social, environmental and cultural life.