How did population trends change in Greater London during the late 20th century?

During the late 20th century, Greater London experienced a significant population decline followed by a late-century recovery. Following its peak at the outbreak of World War II, London’s population shrank by approximately 2 million people over several decades, reaching about 6.6 million by the mid-1980s.1

This decline was driven by factors common to large cities, including increased access to automobiles, shorter working hours, and a desire for better quality of life, which encouraged families and firms to relocate to distant suburbs and rural areas. Inner London boroughs were particularly affected, losing more than one-third of their population during the postwar decades.21

However, this trend began to shift in the 1980s as the rate of out-migration slowed and birth rates among new immigrant families rose. By the 1990s, the population began to climb again, surpassing seven million by 2000. This resurgence was notably supported by economic regeneration in areas such as the Docklands, where the creation of new jobs and housing attracted residents back to the city.123