The population of Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands metropolitan county in 2023 was estimated to be approximately 2.98 million, compared with 2.56 million in 2001.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Birmingham population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Birmingham across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2023, the population of Birmingham was 372, a 0.27% increase year-by-year from 2022. Previously, in 2022, Birmingham population was 371, a decline of 0.27% compared to a population of 372 in 2021. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2023, population of Birmingham decreased by 55. In this period, the peak population was 449 in the year 2010. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2023

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2023)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Birmingham is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Birmingham population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Birmingham Population by Year. You can refer the same here

In 2023, the population of the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area in the United States was about 1.18 million people. This is consistent with the previous year, when the population was also about 1.18 million people.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total (5-year estimate) in Jefferson County, AL (B03002001E001073) from 2009 to 2023 about Jefferson County, AL; Birmingham; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

The population of the United Kingdom in 2024 was estimated to be approximately 69.3 million, with over 9.6 million people living in South East England. London had the next highest population, at almost 9.1 million people, followed by the North West England at 7.7 million. With the UK's population generally concentrated in England, most English regions have larger populations than the constituent countries of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which had populations of 5.5 million, 3.2 million, and 1.9 million respectively. English counties and cities The United Kingdom is a patchwork of various regional units, within England the largest of these are the regions shown here, which show how London, along with the rest of South East England had around 18 million people living there in this year. The next significant regional units in England are the 47 metropolitan and ceremonial counties. After London, the metropolitan counties of the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire were the biggest of these counties, due to covering the large urban areas of Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds respectively. Regional divisions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The smaller countries that comprise the United Kingdom each have different local subdivisions. Within Scotland these are called council areas whereas in Wales the main regional units are called unitary authorities. Scotland's largest Council Area by population is that of Glasgow City at over 622,000, while in Wales, it was the Cardiff Unitary Authority at around 372,000. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, has eleven local government districts, the largest of which is Belfast with a population of around 348,000.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Birmingham population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for Birmingham. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Birmingham by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in Birmingham.

Key observations

The largest age group in Birmingham, PA was for the group of age Under 5 years years with a population of 14 (15.38%), according to the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. At the same time, the smallest age group in Birmingham, PA was the 20 to 24 years years with a population of 0 (0%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the Birmingham is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of Birmingham total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Birmingham Population by Age. You can refer the same here

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Jefferson County, AL (S1701ACS001073) from 2012 to 2023 about Jefferson County, AL; Birmingham; AL; poverty; percent; 5-year; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total (5-year estimate) in Blount County, AL (B03002001E001009) from 2009 to 2023 about Blount County, AL; Birmingham; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

London was by far the largest urban agglomeration in the United Kingdom in 2025, with an estimated population of *** million people, more than three times as large as Manchester, the UK’s second-biggest urban agglomeration. The agglomerations of Birmingham and Leeds / Bradford had the third and fourth-largest populations, respectively, while the biggest city in Scotland, Glasgow, was the fifth largest. Largest cities in Europe Two cities in Europe had larger urban areas than London, with Istanbul having a population of around **** million and the Russian capital Moscow having a population of over **** million. The city of Paris, located just over 200 miles away from London, was the second-largest city in Europe, with a population of more than **** million people. Paris was followed by London in terms of population size, and then by the Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona, at *** million and *** million people, respectively. The Italian capital, Rome, was the next largest city at *** million, followed by Berlin at *** million. London’s population growth Throughout the 1980s, the population of London fluctuated from a high of **** million people in 1981 to a low of **** million inhabitants in 1988. During the 1990s, the population of London increased once again, growing from ****million at the start of the decade to **** million by 1999. London's population has continued to grow since the turn of the century, and despite declining between 2019 and 2021, it reached *** million people in 2023 and is forecast to reach almost *** million by 2047.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total (5-year estimate) in Bibb County, AL (B03002001E001007) from 2009 to 2023 about Bibb County, AL; Birmingham; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total (5-year estimate) in St. Clair County, AL (B03002001E001115) from 2009 to 2023 about St. Clair County, AL; Birmingham; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

People aged 15 to 59 years seen at HIV services in the UK, expressed as a rate per 1,000 population.Data is presented by area of residence, and exclude people diagnosed with HIV in England who are resident in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or abroad.RationaleThe geographical distribution of people seen for HIV care and treatment is not uniform across or within regions in England. Knowledge of local diagnosed HIV prevalence and identification of local risk groups can be used to help direct resources for HIV prevention and treatment.In 2008, http://www.bhiva.org/HIV-testing-guidelines.aspx recommended that Local Authority and NHS bodies consider implementing routine HIV testing for all general medical admissions as well as new registrants in primary care where the diagnosed HIV prevalence exceeds 2 in 1,000 population aged 15 to 59 years.In 2017, guidelines were updated by https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG60 which is co-badged with Public Health England. This guidance continues to define high HIV prevalence local authorities as those with a diagnosed HIV prevalence of between 2 and 5 per 1,000 and extremely high prevalence local authorities as those with a diagnosed HIV prevalence of 5 or more per 1,000 people aged 15 to 59 years.When this is applied to national late HIV diagnosis data, it shows that two-thirds of late HIV diagnoses occur in high-prevalence and extremely-high-prevalence local authorities. This means that if this recommendation is successfully applied in high and extremely-high-prevalence areas, it could potentially affect two-thirds of late diagnoses nationally.Local authorities should find out their diagnosed prevalence published in UKHSA's http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/sexualhealth , as well as that of surrounding areas and adapt their strategy for HIV testing using the national guidelines.Commissioners can use these data to plan and ensure access to comprehensive and specialist local HIV care and treatment for HIV diagnosed individuals according to the http://www.medfash.org.uk/uploads/files/p17abl6hvc4p71ovpkr81ugsh60v.pdf and http://www.bhiva.org/monitoring-guidelines.aspx .Definition of numeratorThe number of people (aged 15 to 59 years) living with a diagnosed HIV infection and accessing HIV care at an NHS service in the UK and who are resident in England.Definition of denominatorResident population aged 15 to 59.The denominators for 2011 to 2023 are taken from the respective 2011 to 2023 Office for National Statistics (ONS) revised population estimates from the 2021 Census.Further details on the ONS census are available from the https://www.ons.gov.uk/census .CaveatsData is presented by geographical area of residence. Where data on residence were unavailable, residence have been assigned to the local health area of care.Every effort is made to ensure accuracy and completeness of the data, including web-based reporting with integrated checks on data quality. The overall data quality is high as the dataset is used for commissioning purposes and for the national allocation of funding. However, responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of data lies with the reporting service.Data is as reported but rely on ‘record linkage’ to integrate data and ‘de-duplication’ to prevent double counting of the same individual. The data may not be representative in areas where residence information is not known for a significant proportion of people accessing HIV care.Data supplied for previous years are updated on an annual basis due to clinic or laboratory resubmissions and improvements to data cleaning. Data may therefore differ from previous publications.Values are benchmarked against set thresholds and categorised into the following groups: <2 (low), 2 to 5 (high) and≥5 (extremely high). These have been determined by developments in national testing guidelines.The data reported in 2020 and 2021 is impacted by the reconfiguration of sexual health services during the national response to COVID-19.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total, Hispanic or Latino (5-year estimate) in Walker County, AL (B03002012E001127) from 2009 to 2023 about Walker County, AL; Birmingham; latino; hispanic; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Birmingham by race. It includes the population of Birmingham across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Birmingham across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of Birmingham population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 89.14% are white, 0.21% are Black or African American, 4.18% are some other race and 6.47% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the Birmingham
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the Birmingham is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Birmingham total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Birmingham Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

In 2023, almost nine million people lived in Greater London, making it the most populated ceremonial county in England. The West Midlands Metropolitan County, which contains the large city of Birmingham, was the second-largest county at 2.98 million inhabitants, followed by Greater Manchester and then West Yorkshire with populations of 2.95 million and 2.4 million, respectively. Kent, Essex, and Hampshire were the three next-largest counties in terms of population, each with around 1.89 million people. A patchwork of regions England is just one of the four countries that compose the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with England, Scotland and Wales making up Great Britain. England is therefore not to be confused with Great Britain or the United Kingdom as a whole. Within England, the next subdivisions are the nine regions of England, containing various smaller units such as unitary authorities, metropolitan counties and non-metropolitan districts. The counties in this statistic, however, are based on the ceremonial counties of England as defined by the Lieutenancies Act of 1997. Regions of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Like England, the other countries of the United Kingdom have their own regional subdivisions, although with some different terminology. Scotland’s subdivisions are council areas, while Wales has unitary authorities, and Northern Ireland has local government districts. As of 2022, the most-populated Scottish council area was Glasgow City, with over 622,000 inhabitants. In Wales, Cardiff had the largest population among its unitary authorities, and in Northern Ireland, Belfast was the local government area with the most people living there.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Chilton County, AL (B03002004E001021) from 2009 to 2023 about Chilton County, AL; Birmingham; African-American; non-hispanic; AL; estimate; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

All diagnoses of first episode genital herpes among people accessing sexual health services* in England who are also residents in England, expressed as a rate per 100,000 population. Data is presented by area of patient residence and include those residents in England and those with an unknown residence (data for those residents outside of England is not included).*Sexual health services providing STI related care (Levels 2 and 3). Further details on the levels of sexual healthcare provision are provided in the https://www.bashh.org/about-bashh/publications/standards-for-the-management-of-stis/ .RationaleGenital herpes is the most common ulcerative sexually transmitted infection seen in England. Infections are frequently due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2, although HSV-1 infection is also seen. Recurrent infections are common with patients returning for treatment.Definition of numeratorThe number of diagnoses of genital herpes (first episode) among people accessing sexual health services in England who are also residents in England.Episode Activity codes (SNOMED or Sexual Health and HIV Activity Property Types (SHHAPT)) relating to diagnosis of genital herpes (first episode) were used. The clinical criteria used to diagnose the conditions are given at https://www.bashh.org/guidelines .Data was de-duplicated to ensure that a patient received a diagnostic code only once for each episode. Patients cannot be tracked between services and therefore de-duplication relies on patient consultations at a single service.Definition of denominatorThe denominators for 2012 to 2022 are sourced from Office for National Statistics (ONS) population estimates based on the 2021 Census.Population estimates for 2023 were not available at the time of publication – therefore rates for 2023 are calculated using estimates from 2022 as a proxy.Further details on the ONS census are available from the https://www.ons.gov.uk/census .CaveatsEvery effort is made to ensure accuracy and completeness of GUMCAD data, including web-based reporting with integrated checks on data quality. However, responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of data lies with the reporting service.Data is updated on an annual basis due to clinic or laboratory resubmissions and improvements to data cleaning. Data may differ from previous publications.Figures reported in 2020 and 2021 are notably lower than previous years due to the disruption to SHSs during the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The population of London reached over **** million in 2024, an increase of almost *** million people when compared with the early 1980s. Throughout the 1980s, the population of the United Kingdom's capital grew at a relatively slow rate, before accelerating to a much faster rate in the 1990s. London is by far the largest city / urban agglomeration in the United Kingdom, more than three times larger than the next largest cities of Manchester and Birmingham. London’s forecasted population is expected to continue growing at much the same pace it has been growing since the mid-1990s and reach almost *** million by 2042. London boroughs As of 2022, the London borough with the highest population was Croydon, at approximately *******, followed by Barnet at *******. Overall, London is divided into 33 different boroughs, with London's historic center, the City of London, having by far the smallest population, at just ******. Residents of the City of London, however, have the highest average median weekly earnings among all of London's boroughs, at ***** pounds per week, compared with just *** pounds per week in Redbridge, the lowest average weekly earnings among London boroughs. While the overall unemployment rate for London was *** percent in early 2023, this ranged from *** percent in Brent, to just *** percent in Kingston upon Thames.
Economic imbalance Aside from being the UK's largest city in terms of population, London is also undoubtedly the UK's cultural, political and economic center. As of 2021, the GDP of Greater London was approximately ***** billion British pounds, just over ** percent of the UK's overall GDP. In the same year, GDP per person in London was ****** pounds compared with the UK average of ****** pounds. Additionally, productivity in London is far higher than the UK average. As measured by output per hour worked, London was **** percent more productive than the rest of the UK.

Crude rate per 100,000 population: the number of fast food outlets is divided by the population of the area and multiplied by 100,000.

Rationale

The environment in which we live and work has positive and negative effects on our health and wellbeing. One component of the built-up environment is food outlets and the choices they provide. Meals eaten outside of the home tend to be associated with higher calories, and portion sizes tend to be bigger, which can make it more challenging to eat healthily [1,2]. The neighbourhood food environment is one important modifiable determinant of dietary behaviour and obesity [3].

The availability of fast food in our environment is one issue, within a complex system [4], which is associated with a range of negative health outcomes and contributes to the obesogenic nature of some of our neighbourhoods. Fast food is more abundantly available in the most deprived areas of England where obesity in children and adults and the associated health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease are most prevalent [5,6].

This indicator is designed to help users understand the number of fast food outlets in an area taking the size of the population into account. It is intended to support national policy making and influence planning activities in local authorities [7] with the aim of reducing the availability of fast food, where this is deemed desirable, in order to improve health outcomes.

References

Sugar reduction programme: industry progress 2015 to 2020 - GOV.UK
Calorie reduction programme: industry progress 2017 to 2021 - GOV.UK
Dietary inequalities: What is the evidence for the effect of the neighbourhood food environment?
A foresight whole systems obesity classification for the English UK biobank cohort
The Association between Fast Food Outlets and Overweight in Adolescents Is Confounded by Neighbourhood Deprivation
The association between the presence of fast-food outlets and BMI
No new fast-food outlets allowed! Evaluating the effect of planning policy on the local food environment in the North East of England

Definition of numerator The numerator is a count, at a specific point in time, of fast food outlets in each geographic area. The inclusion criteria for counting fast food outlets is described in the methodology section below.

Definition of denominator Count of the population in each geographic area from Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates 2023.

Caveats

The Impact of Food Delivery Services In recent years there has been a large growth of food delivery services and meal delivery apps (MDAs). These companies allow customers to order food via mobile apps or websites for delivery to a chosen address. The availability of fast food through MDAs expands the geographic coverage of fast food outlets, increasing the likelihood that customers will order from outlets in neighbouring local authority areas, especially in urban settings. These apps extend the reach of fast food outlets beyond the immediate resident or visiting population.

Cross Local Authority Movements Some individuals may travel to neighbouring local authorities to access fast food outlets. Therefore, data showing fast food outlets within a specific area may underestimate actual exposure for the resident population. Users should consider data from neighbouring areas to gain a more comprehensive understanding of fast food exposure.

The Impact of Non-Resident Populations Movements for work, shopping, entertainment, or tourism also affect exposure. Local authorities with high numbers of fast food outlets per 100,000 residents may have large non-resident populations who are not included in the population denominator but are still exposed to these outlets.

Data Source and Methods The data may not fully capture all fast food outlets. Many businesses are multi-functional—offering dine-in, takeaway, and delivery—and may be categorized as restaurants or cafés, thus excluded from fast food counts. Inclusion based on business names helps mitigate this, but some outlets may still be missed. Conversely, some outlets categorized as ‘Takeaway/sandwich shop’ may not be considered fast food.

Data from the FSA FHRS is presumed accurate, but errors in collection, collation, and entry are possible. Categorization may vary between local authorities. For example, an outlet selling sandwiches and tea might be recorded as a Restaurant/Café/Canteen in one area and as a Takeaway/sandwich shop in another.

Different data sources use varying definitions and categorizations, so numbers may differ across datasets. The data here counts businesses identified as fast food outlets, not direct access for individuals, which is influenced by factors like opening hours, pricing, parking, and delivery options. It reflects premises use rather than individual access.

Admissions to hospital where the primary diagnosis or any of the secondary diagnoses are an alcohol-specific (wholly attributable) condition. Directly age standardised rate per 100,000 population (standardised to the European standard population).

Rationale Alcohol consumption is a contributing factor to hospital admissions and deaths from a diverse range of conditions. Alcohol misuse is estimated to cost the NHS about £3.5 billion per year and society as a whole £21 billion annually.

The Government has said that everyone has a role to play in reducing the harmful use of alcohol - this indicator is one of the key contributions by the Government (and the Department of Health) to promote measurable, evidence-based prevention activities at a local level, and supports the national ambitions to reduce harm set out in the Government's Alcohol Strategy. This ambition is part of the monitoring arrangements for the Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network. Alcohol-related admissions can be reduced through local interventions to reduce alcohol misuse and harm.

Reducing alcohol-related harm is one of Public Health England’s seven priorities for the next five years (from the “Evidence into action” report 2014).

Definition of numerator Admissions to hospital where the primary diagnosis or any of the secondary diagnoses are an alcohol-specific (wholly attributable) condition code only. More specifically, hospital admissions records are identified where:

The admission is a finished episode [epistat = 3] The admission is an ordinary admission, day case or maternity [classpat = 1, 2 or 5] It is an admission episode [epiorder = 1] The sex of the patient is valid [sex = 1 or 2] There is a valid age at start of episode [startage between 0 and 150 or between 7001 and 7007] The region of residence is one of the English regions, no fixed abode or unknown [resgor<= K or U or Y] The episode end date [epiend] falls within the financial year A wholly alcohol-attributable ICD10 code appears in any diagnosis field [diag_nn]

Definition of denominator ONS mid-year population estimates.

Caveats In 2023, NHS England announced a requirement for Trusts to report Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) to the Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS) by July 2024. Early adopter sites began to report SDEC to ECDS from 2021/22, with other Trusts changing their reporting in 2022/23 or 2023/24. Some Trusts had previously reported this activity as part of the Admitted Patient Care data set, and moving to report to ECDS may reduce the number of admissions reported for this/these indicator/s. NHSE have advised it is not possible accurately to identify SDEC in current data flows, but the impact of the change is expected to vary by diagnosis, with indicators related to injuries and external causes potentially most affected.

When considering if SDEC recording practice has reduced the number of admissions reported for this indicator at local level, please refer to the list of sites who have reported when they began to report SDEC to ECDS.

Hospital admission data can be coded differently in different parts of the country. In some cases, details of the patient's residence are insufficient to allocate the patient to a particular area and in other cases, the patient has no fixed abode. These cases are included in the England total but not in the local authority figures. Conditions where low levels of alcohol consumption are protective (have a negative alcohol-attributable fraction) are not included in the calculation of the indicator. Does not include attendance at Accident and Emergency departments.

In order to allow comparison of groups with different age structures it is common to present “age standardised” rates. These are calculated by summing the product of age specific rates for each age band in the group by the number in that age band in the standard population. The sum is then divided by the total number in all age bands in the standard population to obtain the age standardised rate. This improves the comparability of rates for different areas, or between different time periods, by taking into account differences in the age structure of the populations being compared. Any difference between groups in age standardised rates is then not due to difference in age structure since the same standard population was used to calculate all age standardised rates. The method does however assume that minor differences in age structure within age bands are unimportant and in general this is true.