Facts and figures

There are several very useful sources of facts and figures about the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The Park Profile provides basic information about various elements of the Park.
The State of the Park information provides a more detailed picture of certain key characteristics of the National Park (its special qualities).

Another important source of information is nationally collected census information which gives a snapshot of the park’s population every 10 years.

Park Profile

All national park authorities produce a park profile each year. For each national park, it summarises some of the basic facts and figures - size; population; housing; employment; important nature conservation sites; heritage features; and recreational information. To download a copy click on the link below:

Yorkshire Dales National Park Profile 2007/08

State of the Park

State of the Park information is intended to help the Authority, its partners and the public to identify and track changes in the condition of the Park’s special qualities so that we can:

monitor progress in achieving the aims and objectives set out in the National Park Management Plan
measure whether the overall ‘quality of life’ in the Park is improving
identify the key issues that will need to be considered as part of future updates of the National Park Management Plan

As part of monitoring progress on the National Park Management Plan, a number of key indicators have been identified. These measure different elements of the Park's special qualities, spread across the seven themes of the National Park Management Plan.

Census/information

In 2001 the most recent nationwide census was carried out, counting all people and households in the UK today. The census gives a picture of the nation. It counts the numbers of people living in each city, town and country area, and reveals information about each area and its population, including the balance of young and old, what jobs people do, and the type of housing they live in.

The following downloadable files interpret the 2001 census data for the Yorkshire Dales National Park as a whole, and are then broken down into the main dales.

The document Headline Data gives an overview of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Click on the link below to download a copy.

Census Headline Data

This file highlights key population trends for the National Park since 1991, and gives figures for total population, age structure, gender, net migration, housing, employment, occupation groups, travel to work and car ownership.

We have also interpreted and grouped the census data by sub-areas. These correspond to the main dales, or parts of them, making it possible to compare the 2001 data with the 1991 Census to reveal 10 year trends. The document Census Trends 1991-2001 by Dale gives a summary of these trends.

Census Trends 1991-2001 by Dale

The main document is divided into the following geographical areas:

You can download copies of all these files by clicking the links below