Dubai's population has rebounded since the start of the Iran war, with 157,000 more people living in the emirate compared with the start of the year.
Official figures show the population dipped by about 61,000 at the height of the Iran war in March. That put the total at 4.65 million, representing a 1.3 per cent drop.
But by the end of June, the population figure had rallied to 4.74 million, with almost 40,000 more people calling Dubai home that month. July was largely stable, with figures showing a decline of only 376.
On the rise
Dubai's annual population growth has hovered between 6 and 7 per cent since the end of the Covid pandemic. Some of the emirate's highest growth rates were recorded last year, with the population reaching 4.58 million – an increase of 7.5 per cent compared with the previous year.
Official figures for Abu Dhabi have not yet been released for 2025. But in 2024 the emirate recorded an increase of 7.5 per cent, the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi said.
The highest growth rate in Dubai's history was marked in the 1980 census, when it reached 8.2 per cent.
The latest population numbers were measured by the Dubai Population Now platform, which was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The population census and growth-monitoring initiative uses administrative records, smart systems and real-time data to produce its figures.
“Population growth monitoring in Dubai provides a real-time reflection of a broader strategic landscape that embodies the emirate’s dynamism, economic vitality and sustained momentum across all sectors,” said Younus Al Nasser, chief executive of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.
According to real estate consultancy Savills, the UAE's population is forecast to grow by 2 per cent this year. Savills expects the Dubai property market to enter a period of normalisation after years of sky-high growth.
Buyer's market
Since the start of the regional war, the Dubai housing market has cooled. New supply has outpaced demand, giving renters and buyers more negotiating power and options, stabilising or lowering costs.
Figures from Savills show total transactions have been on a downwards trend, with about a 19 per cent quarter-on-quarter decline. The market is expected to normalise rather than correct, bucking the remarkable growth recorded in the past few years.
In the most recent quarter – despite regional tension clouding the market – the construction of 27,300 residential units was completed in Dubai, the highest quarterly volume in years.
While there is still activity in the sector, it will take time for growth to return to the speed seen in previous years.
