Last updated 11th August 2025
On this page we share some facts and figures about The Diocese of Blackburn, both about us as a Diocese and the geographic area that we cover. The Diocese has two Archdeaconries, Blackburn and Lancaster.
| Topic | Answer |
|---|---|
| Number of bishops (August 2025) |
1 - Diocesan bishop - Bishop of Blackburn 2 - Suffragan bishops - Bishop of Burnley, Bishop of Lancaster |
| Number of Archdeacons (August 2025) | 2 - Archdeacon of Blackburn, Archdeacon of Lancaster |
| Number of Deaneries (August 2025) | 14 - Accrington, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Burnley, Chorley, Garstang, Kirkham, Lancaster and Morecambe, Leyland, Pendle, Poulton, Preston, Tunstall, Whalley |
| Number of benefices (August 2025) | 170 |
| Number of parishes (August 2025) | 225 |
| Number of churches/licensed worship centres (August 2025) | 278 |
| Number of usual weekly church attenders in 2024 |
11,200 adults (over 16) 2,300 children (under 16) |
| Number of people in church worshipping communities in 2024 | 21,000 of whom 23% are aged 0-17, 43% aged 18-69 and 34% are aged 70+ |
| Number of people on the electoral roll of churches in 2024 | 22,700 |
For more information about how our Diocese compares with other Church of England Dioceses, visit the Church of England Data Services webpages (including an interactive map feature).
The total population of the Diocese is around 1.4 million. The age profile varies from the national average with a greater proportion aged over 45. There is diversity however: in Blackburn with Darwen and Preston, at least two out of five residents are aged less than 30 years, whilst in Fylde, Ribble Valley and Wyre half of the population is aged over 45.
The 14 local authority areas in Lancashire fully or partially cover the Diocese, some areas of Lancashire serve areas in neighbouring Diocese. According to the 2021 census 88% of the population within these 14 local authority areas were from a white ethnic background . The next largest ethnic group is "Asian or Asian British" who comprise 9% of the resident population.
Black and Asian ethnic group make up 37% of the Blackburn with Darwen local authority area, 27% of Pendle area and 23% of Preston area.
From the 2021 census returns 55% of the 14 local authority areas in Lancashire stated that they were Christian, 8% were Muslim, 1% other religions and the remaining 36% had no or unstated religion.
There are 29 parishes that fit the official Presence and Engagement criteria (at least 10% of one other faith). All of the Presence and Engagement parishes are in either Accrington, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle, Preston or Whalley deaneries.