Editing Berkshire (section)

==Demography==
{{see also|List of settlements in Berkshire by population}}
{{Historical populations
|1831|146,234 
|1841|161,759
|1851|170,065
|1861|176,256
|1871|196,475
|1881|218,363
|1891|238,709
|1901|252,571
|1951|404,000
|1983|680,000
|source=<ref name="millbanksystems1983">[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1983/dec/14/berkshire-planning-and-development Berkshire (Planning and Development) (Hansard, 14 December 1983)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227015646/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/dec/14/berkshire-planning-and-development |date=27 December 2012 }}. api.parliament.uk (14 December 1983). Retrieved on 17 July 2013</ref>
}}
According to 2003 estimates there were 803,657 people in Berkshire, or 636 people/km<sup>2</sup>. The population is mostly based in the urban areas to the east and centre of the county: the largest towns here are [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], [[Slough]], [[Bracknell]], [[Maidenhead]], [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]], [[Wokingham]], [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Earley]], [[Sandhurst, Berkshire|Sandhurst]], and [[Crowthorne]]. West Berkshire is much more rural and sparsely populated, with far fewer towns: the largest are [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]], [[Thatcham]], and [[Hungerford]]. In recent years, Berkshire has seen consistent population growth, particularly in urban areas like Reading and Slough. Between 2011-21, the population increased by 6.7%, largely due to migration and economic opportunities in the region. Reading has experienced significant growth due to its reputation as a technology and business hub.<ref>"Census Data for Berkshire." Office for National Statistics, 2022.</ref>

In 1831, there were 146,234 people living in Berkshire; by 1901 the population had risen to 252,571 (of whom 122,807 were male and 129,764 were female). Below were the largest immigrant groups in 2011.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Country of Birth
! Immigrants in Berkshire (2011 Census)
|-
|India
|23,660
|-
|Pakistan
|17,590
|-
|Poland
|16,435
|-
|Ireland
|7,629
|-
|South Africa
|6,221
|-
|Germany
|5,328
|-
|Kenya
|4,617
|-
|China
|4,242
|-
|Zimbabwe
|4,043
|-
|United States
|3,509
|}