History Month Fact 10: Population
The population of the parish in 1881 was 2,882 persons. This had slightly increased over that in 1871, 2,845 persons, and was to continue to increase more rapidly over subsequent decades. In 1981 the population of the parishes of Thatcham and Cold Ash combined (in 1881 Cold Ash was part of Thatcham parish) was 16,649 persons and this excludes persons living in part of the 1881 parish which has been lost to Newbury. Thus there has been over a fivefold increase in persons living in the area in the hundred years following 1881. Today there is and estimated population of at least 23,000 people.
