Poland’s 2021 census gave an official population of 38,036,118.
The National Population and Housing Census used 31 March 2021 as its reference date. Data collection ran from 1 April to 30 September, with the timetable extended during the COVID-19 period. Statistics Poland published the final results after initial figures had suggested a slightly different total.
The final population was 475,706 lower than in the 2011 census, a decline of about 1.2%. The same census counted 15,227,927 dwellings, while the number of buildings reached 6,806,910. Poland conducts national censuses every ten years, making the next scheduled census 2031.
The population figure should not be confused with estimates for a later calendar year, which can differ because of births, deaths and migration. Nor is it a count of only people identifying as ethnically Polish: census respondents could declare up to two ethnic identities, and the total covers the country’s entire resident population.