Dubai's Population Nears 4.81 Million, Adding Over 226,000 Residents Since January 2026

Dubai's population continues its robust growth trajectory, with the emirate recording a significant influx of new residents in the first nine months of 2026. Data released by the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, a division of Digital Dubai, indicates the total population stood at 4,807,185 individuals as of September 2026.

This represents an increase of 226,885 people since January 2026. The population figure also shows a monthly rise from 4,782,535 residents at the end of August 2026. The establishment defines habitual residents as individuals who reside in Dubai for at least six months, or who intend to do so.

Demographic Snapshot and Growth Drivers

Analysis of population indicators from the previous year, 2025, reveals that the 30-34 age group forms the largest segment of Dubai's population, accounting for 15.45% of the total. This highlights a demographic profile dominated by a young, working-age population.

Family growth has also been a key contributor to the emirate's expansion. During 2025, Dubai saw an addition of 62,800 families, bringing the total number to 858,000 families, up from 795,200 in 2024. This represents a 7.9% growth rate in family units, reflecting increased demand for residences and developments across the emirate.

Beyond that, population movement data for 2025 showed that approximately 1.81 million people were entering Dubai daily during daytime hours, underscoring the city's dynamic economic activity. Gender distribution in 2025 indicated a male majority, with 68.5% (3.13 million) males compared to 31.5% (1.44 million) females.